ECC ALLOWS 300,000 TONNES OF UREA EXPORT WITHOUT SUBSIDY

THE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday endorsed continuing the fertilizer subsidy scheme and approved export of 300,000 tonnes of urea till April 28, 2017. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting. In pursuance of the prime minister’s decision, the ECC endorsed continuation of the previous fertilizer subsidy scheme for the FY 2016-17 on the same terms, conditions and modalities. The government is paying Rs 200 per bag subsidy to support the farming community and agriculture sector.

The committee also approved export of 0.3 million tonnes of urea fertilizer till April 28, 2017 without any subsidy. The government is providing Rs 200 per bag subsidy; however, this subsidy will not be available on exports of fertilizer. The permission of export was given in view of around one million metric tonnes surplus urea fertilizer in the country.

The export quantity will be monitored by the State Bank of Pakistan like the mechanism adopted regarding sugar exports. Fertilizer Review Committee (FRC) will monitor domestic prices of urea on monthly basis and in case of abnormal increase in retail price as per weekly sensitive price index, the FRC will recommend to ECC discontinuation of further exports.

The ECC approved, in principle, payment of outstanding claim of PASSCO on account of supply of wheat in 2008-2009, and directed the Ministry of National Food Security and PASSCO to reconcile the outstanding amount with the Ministry of Finance. The ECC recognized the contributions and services of recently retired Dr Waqar Masood Khan and Nisar Muhammad, both as ex-officio participants of the ECC, and as secretary of Finance Division and, FBR Chairman, respectively.