RAWALPINDI:Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah Friday directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the division to take strict action against fertilizer hoarders and profiteers.
Chairing a meeting held here to review prices of DAP and Urea, he instructed the authorities concerned to take the fertilizer stocks of the hoarders into custody and provide to the farmers on official rates in presence of the dealers.
Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali, ADCR Capt. (R) Qasim Ijaz, Director Agriculture Sajjad Ahmed, Deputy Director Agriculture, Deputy Director Information and other officers concerned were present in the meeting.
During the meeting, availability of DAP and Urea, prices and supply in all the districts of the division were reviewed.
He asked the DCs of the division to monitor the situation and take all possible steps to provide relief to the farmers. He directed all the price magistrates to conduct surprise raids and If, a dealer was found selling Urea and DAP at more than the notified price, then strict action should be taken against him.
The Commissioner said that the fertilizer supply should not be stopped and the stocks of all the fertilizer dealers s hould regularly be checked and their data should be upgraded properly.
Director Agriculture, Sajjad Ahmed informed that Urea was being sold at the rate of Rs 1768 per bag in the division. Solid steps taken by the administration had greatly improved the supply situation of the fertilizers and there was no shortage of DAP and Urea anywhere in the division. This year, the crop was grown at 20 % more area than last year which was very laudable, he added.