Charsadda farmers want action against ‘embezzlement’

CHARSADDA: The framers on Wednesday asked the relevant authorities to take notice of the embezzlement allegedly committed by the local Agriculture Department in the procurement of fertilizers and award punishment to the responsible officials.

Sources in the local Agriculture Department told The News that the relevant department had not fulfilled the legal requirements for the selection of a company to purchase fertilizers and the Nitrophos was procured from the favourite ones on high rates, incurring huge losses on the growers.

They said the farmers were provided the Nitrophos on higher prices of Rs700 to Rs800 than the open market by the officials of Model Farm Centre, fleecing the poor growers.

The sources added that there were 14,728 farmers registered with the Model Farm Centre in Charsadda where they were provided fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and equipment for farming on subsidized rates but this year, the growers were being fleeced instead of giving relief to them.

Farmers Association former president Abdul Akbar Khan said that establishment of Model Farm Centre was aimed at facilitating the growers but unfortunately the growers were being exploited by the black sheep in the department. He said that fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and other farming equipment were given at exorbitant rates to the farmers, which he termed excesses against the growers.

He appealed to the relevant authorities to take action against the responsible officials and compensate the growers in the district.

Ibrar Khan, the subject matter specialist at the Agriculture Department, when contacted said that he had purchased fertilizers for the farmers from different companies for which all legal formalities had been fulfilled prior to procurement of the commodity.He said that fertilizers for the growers were available at cheaper rates than the open market.