Open AccessA Note on the Demand for Fertilizer in West Pakistan (Notes & Comments)
Author(s) -
Pauline Leonard
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
pakistan development review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.154
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 0030-9729
DOI - 10.30541/v9i4pp.419-425
Subject(s) - fertilizer , agriculture , distribution (mathematics) , agricultural economics , economics , private sector , supply and demand , public sector , business , natural resource economics , economy , economic growth , geography , macroeconomics , ecology , mathematics , mathematical analysis , archaeology , biology
West Pakistan has experienced a remarkable revolution inagriculture during its Third Five Year Plan. Very large increases inagricultural output have resulted from the rapidly growing use ofimproved seeds, fertilizer, and from improved water supplies.Agricultural pricing-policy has also played a part in this achievement.In this paper only one aspect of this revolution will be examined inisolation—the rapidly growing demand for chemical fertilizers. It is tobe hoped that similar studies on other agricultural inputs will followand that as a result it will be possible to consider the interactionsand aggregate significance of various inputs. Increasing quantities offertilizers are being sold in West Pakistan, and considerable publicresources have been devoted to their purchase and distri¬bution. Thegrowth of fertilizer industry and of sales has largely been the resultof efforts in the public sector, whereas in the case of tubewells it wasthe private sector which led the way. The private sector has recentlybeen brought into the distribution of fertilizers, and will be takingover the responsibility for retail distribution. The sale of fertilizerhas been subsidised in West Pakistan and for this reason it is ofprimary importance to identify and quantify the factors determiningdemand.