960410

Four firms awarded

contract for supply

of 350,000 tons DAP

MUZAFFAR QURESHI

KARACHI: The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has awarded contract to four foreign firms for supply 350,000 tonnes of fertiliser (DAP) for the Kharif season. The average purchase price for the commodity is $254 per tonne C&F.

The ministry has also invited revised bids from the suppliers for procurement of 90,000 tonnes of urea for the same crop season.

The firms awarded contract for the supply of DAP are ICEC of USA (120,000 tonnes), Conagra of Singapore (130,000 tonnes), Nobel Agricamp of Hong Kong (60,000 tonnes) and Uree Trading of Switzerland (27,500 tonnes).

The shipment of DAP will start this month and will be completed by July next. The first ship carrying fertilizer will arrive at Karachi next week.

According to market sources, the ministry has managed to procure fertilizer at the rate of $254 per tonne against an international market price of $268 per tonne. The government hopes to provide fertilizer to the farmers at Rs. 50 to 60 per bag, a price less than that of the previous year.

Meanwhile, the first round of evaluation of bids by the Tender Committee of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the purchase of 90,000 tonnes of urea has been completed. The average price offered in bids by 31 foreign suppliers was $240 per tonne. The Committee has, however, asked the bidders to quote their last and final price. The exercise is aimed to obtain a reasonably good offer.

Pakistan, had become self-sufficient in urea production about two years ago but, due to loadshedding of gas at urea factories, the production was reduced compelling the country to import the commodity. It is hoped that with the coming into production of the Fauji Fertilizer plant next year, the country will be able to meet its requirements of urea.