Rabi sowing season: DAP shortage threatens crop yields

Karachi, Pakistan - Pakistan's agricultural sector confronts a looming crisis as a critical shortage of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser jeopardises the upcoming Rabi sowing season, prompting alarm over shrinking crop yields, escalating input costs, and potential threats to the nation's food security. Port vessels laden with imported DAP fertiliser languish in berth queues and outer anchorage at Karachi Port, exacerbating apprehensions about a substantial drop in 2026-27 wheat crop yields.

Reports from the field reveal that vital farming regions in Punjab and Sindh are already grappling with DAP supply bottlenecks, a crucial soil nutrient vital for early sowing to foster robust wheat roots. Agriculture specialists caution that a two-to-three-week delay in applying phosphate fertilisers during the optimal sowing window (October to November) could permanently stunt crop growth, potentially slashing wheat output by 20-25 percent.

Port congestion is blamed on logistical snarls, customs clearance delays, and congestion at bulk cargo terminals. Although port authorities and terminal operators are endeavouring to accelerate fertiliser shipping handling, distribution on the ground remains critically constrained, worsening the shortage during the pivotal Rabi sowing season.

Inland market dealers have already begun rationing stocks, sparking panic buying and artificial price surges above the official rate per bag. "If farmers are compelled to sow without sufficient DAP because of port delays or black-market price surges, we will witness a sharp decline in acre-for-acre yield upon harvest in early 2027," warned industry insiders.

This predicament arrives at a sensitive juncture for Pakistan's food economy. Domestic wheat flour prices have already been under pressure, oscillating between Rs 150 and Rs 180 per kg in major urban areas. Industry sources have warned that a shortfall in the 2027 wheat harvest could compel the government to heavily rely on costly foreign imports, driving retail flour prices past the staggering threshold of Rs 200 per kilogram.

Agriculture representatives have urged the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Ministry of National Food Security, and port authorities to declare an emergency clearance protocol for all fertiliser-carrying vessels at Karachi Port and Port Qasim. They stressed the urgent need for immediate prioritisation of offloading berths, expedited customs processing, and dedicated freight transit to avert a localized port delay from morphing into a nationwide food crisis.