ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed authorities to prepare plans for importing fertiliser from Central Asian countries amid fears that the Middle East conflict could disrupt supplies from Gulf states.The
Prime Minister directed relevant ministries and institutions to prepare contingency plans for alternative fertiliser imports.
PM Sharif issued the directives while chairing a meeting in Islamabad on food security and fertiliser availability, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
اسلام آباد ، 12 مئی 2026
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے ملک میں غذائی تحفظ اور کھاد کے ذخائر کی صورتحال پر اہم اجلاس کی صدارت کی.
وزیراعظم نے ہدایت کی کہ کسانوں کو بروقت کھاد کی فراہمی ہر صورت یقینی بنائی جائے. وزیرِ اعظم نے مزید ہدایت کی کہ خلیجی ممالک سے کھاد کی سپلائی چین… pic.twitter.com/3D3lYks0sp
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) May 12, 2026
The Middle East is one of the world’s leading fertiliser production hubs, and much of the trade in urea, sulphur and ammonia passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has been affected by the US and Israel’s war on Iran.
Supplies of urea from Qatar, home to one of the world’s largest fertiliser production facilities, have reportedly been halted, while exports of sulphur and ammonia — key inputs used in fertiliser manufacturing — have also been disrupted.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif instructed authorities to ensure sufficient fertiliser reserves for both the Kharif and Rabi crop seasons and emphasised that uninterrupted supplies to farmers must be maintained “at all costs”.
“He directed the relevant ministries and institutions to formulate plans for alternative fertiliser supplies from Central Asian states in view of possible disruptions in supply chains from Gulf countries,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
PM Sharif said meeting the requirements of the agriculture sector remained among the government’s top priorities to ensure food security in the country.
He also directed ministries and provincial authorities to intensify monitoring of fertiliser availability nationwide and ordered strict action against hoarding and attempts to create artificial shortages in the market.
The prime minister instructed authorities to accelerate work on projects to expand domestic fertiliser production, including the establishment of new gas-based fertiliser plants.
Officials at the meeting informed Sharif that uninterrupted natural gas supplies to fertiliser factories were continuing in line with national requirements to sustain local output.
Participants also told the meeting that sufficient fertiliser stocks were currently available for Kharif crops.
