PM Shehbaz orders policy for easy loans to farmers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed the concerned authorities to submit a policy outline for offering accessible loans to farmers engaged in medium and small-scale farming operations.

The prime minister passed these directives during a review session focused on agricultural growth and financing strategies. He said that emphasis must be placed on supplying advanced agricultural resources to landowners with under 12 acres.

PM Shehbaz saught a detailed proposal by this monthto ensure farmers receive affordable loans and to establish a modernized framework within the agri-financing sector.

He said development of Pakistan was linked to the development of agriculture sector and value addition of the agri-products. He stressed that a framework should be presented to provide farmers with easy loans for modern agricultural equipment, artificial intelligence, and quality seeds.

Comprehensive planning should also be carried out for small-scale industrial machinery access, aimed at processing farmers’ produce into exportable goods, the prime minister stressed.

PM Shehbaz pointed out that the government is accelerating reforms’ process to provide farmers with modern agricultural equipment, quality seeds, artificial intelligence, better water use, on-farm small industries, and other facilities.

“Steps are also being included in the reforms for providing farmers with necessary facilities and training for increasing exports through processing of agricultural produce,” he added.

On the occasion, a detailed briefing was given on ongoing agricultural reforms, the performance of the Agricultural Development Bank Limited, and the loans being provided to farmers.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Rana Tanveer Hussain, Advisor to the Prime Minister Muhammad Ali, Ministers of State Bilal Azhar Kiani and Abdul Rehman Kanju, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, Governor State Bank Jameel Ahmed, Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials attended the meeting.