Farmers in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province face fertiliser shortage

Peshawar [Pakistan], February 1 : Farmers in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are faced with great difficulties due to fertiliser shortage in the market which is direly needed for the crops.
They fear a low per acre yield if fertiliser was not given to the seasonal crops, including wheat, barley, vegetables and fruit orchards needed before the advent of summer, as reported by the News International.
A farmer from Nowshera, Saeed Gul, said fertiliser was either short or so expensive that poor growers were not in a position to buy it and as a result, the production of the crop would be affected which might increase prices in the near future.
"It was the government that failed to fix prices and ensure the availability of items related to agriculture that was why, prices of atta, pulses, vegetable and other foodstuff were so high and beyond the reach of poor people," he said.
The government's failure to make sure availability of fertiliser at reasonable rates would badly affect the per acre yield of crops in the province, as reported by News International.
If fertiliser was not given to the crops in time for growth, the result would be low production and price would go higher due to a gap in demand and supply. He said it was the government responsibility to take notice of the situation and ensure the availability of fertilisers at official prices or else food items shortage and further escalation of prices would be there, as noted by News International.
The fertiliser problem in Pakistan comes at a time when Pakistan is facing increased instability due to a rise in prices and pronounced inflation leading to protests against the provincial governments and Imran Khan's federal government.