TCP to tender urea import

KARACHI: Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), the state-owned entity, is all set to invite tenders for import of 100,000 tons of fertiliser to meet the shortfall in local supplies during the planting of summer crops, sources said on Tuesday.
They said the corporation is to invite two separate tenders of 50,000 tons each. The first tender will be invited on Wednesday (today) and the second one on Thursday. And, the first tender will be opened on May 29 and the second on June 1, they added. An industry source said there may be a shortfall of 100,000 to 150,000 tons of urea for summer crops if the TCP will not import more urea. Farmers are required an estimated 2.8 million tons of fertilizer in this Kharif season (April-September). Presently, National Fertilizer Marketing Limited maintains urea stock of 200,000 to 250,000 tons, he added.
TCP imported a total of 647,398.95 tons in the last five months (December to April). This includes two vessels with a total of 82,000 tons, being discharged at Gwadar port. The fertiliser was imported under the special credit line provided to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia.
The source said local fertiliser makers will meet the rest of the demand. However, the government has started providing gas to three manufacturers in April for about one month. The manufacturers, including Engro Fertilizer, Fatima Fertilizer and Agri Tech are on SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited) network. Dawood Hercules, however, has been closed due to non-availability of nature gas.
Farmers in Sindh have already started planting the crops. The Punjab will start sowing summer crops, including cotton, rice, sugarcane and mango after improvement in weather conditions. The source said the cost of importing urea is variable country to country. Presently, it stands at $270-275/ton in the international market. Pakistan mostly imports fertilizer from China.