PM orders uninterrupted supply of fertiliser to safeguard food security

Chairing a meeting on food security and fertiliser reserves in the capital, the prime minister said fulfilling the agricultural sector’s requirements remained the government’s top priority to ens­ure national food security, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He directed the relevant ministries and institutions to formulate contingency plans for alternative fertiliser supplies from Central Asian states in view of possible disruptions in supply chains from Gulf countries. The prime minister also instructed authorities to ensure sufficient fertiliser stocks for both kharif and rabi crop seasons and emphasised accelerating work on projects aimed at increasing local fertiliser production through the installation of new plants. During the meeting, he directed strict action against artificial shortages and hoarding of fertiliser to protect farmers from exploitation and maintain stable supplies in the market. The meeting was informed that the uninterrupted supply of natural gas to fertiliser factories was continuing in line with national requirements to sustain local production. The participants were also told that adequate fertiliser stocks were available for kharif crops. Federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahad Khan Cheema and Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, and senior officials attended the meeting. Balochistan development In a separate meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated that the development, prosperi