OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE - Ban imposed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK) government on mining of raw phosphate has created fear of phosphate fertilizers shortage in the country, which will increase economic burden on the growers who are already facing severe hardships due to increasing prices of agricultural inputs. Kisan Board Pakistan President Sardar Zafar Hussein at a press conference on Monday claimed that a conspiracy has been hatched to create crisis for agriculture just like the country is facing numerous hardships. He said farmers are running post to pillar for urea fertilizer and DAP has also become very expensive. Single Super Phosphate (SSP) fertilizers have been declared as an alternative for DAP and these are being manufactured in the country. Total need of phosphate based fertilizers of the country are 1.5 million tons and Hazara Division of KPK province has raw phosphate hills spreading over 1300 acres, storing this commodity to meet the next fifty year needs of the farming community, added Zafar. KBP Chief said that stopping of phosphate mining has not only created problems for farmers but it has also closed down 28 factories manufacturing Single Super Phosphate (SSP) and their closure has rendered thousands of workers jobless.