ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed relevant authorities to present a comprehensive policy framework by the end of July to facilitate easy loans for small and medium-scale farmers across Pakistan.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on agricultural development and agri-financing, PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need to modernize agricultural lending systems and prioritise support for farmers owning less than 12 acres of land.
“A comprehensive plan must be presented by month’s end to ensure the provision of easy loans and the introduction of a modern, efficient agri-financing system,” PM Shehbaz stated, underscoring the sector’s critical role in national development and value-added exports.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Rana Tanveer Hussain, Advisor to the Prime Minister Muhammad Ali, State Ministers Bilal Azhar Kiani and Abdul Rehman Kanju, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed, Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials.
Shehbaz Sharif called for the expansion of modern agricultural facilities to small-scale farmers and stressed the need for long-term planning to improve access to small-scale industrial machinery that can process agricultural output into export-quality goods.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to accelerating agricultural reforms, including the provision of quality seeds, modern farming equipment, water conservation technologies, artificial intelligence integration, and the promotion of on-farm agro-industries.
“Reforms must also include training and facilities for farmers to increase exports through the processing of agricultural produce,” he added.
Officials presented a detailed briefing on the status of ongoing reforms, the performance of the Agricultural Development Bank Limited, and the existing loan disbursement mechanisms for farmers.
Earlier this month, the prime minister launched a scheme offering soft agricultural loans through a Public-Private Partnership model. In March, he had pledged to revive Pakistan’s agriculture sector by ensuring affordable inputs, enhancing food self-sufficiency, and boosting farm exports in collaboration with provincial governments.
“If the federation and provinces work together to provide affordable inputs, Pakistan can witness an agricultural revolution in the coming years,” he said at the time.
