ISLAMABAD – July 18: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed concerned authorities to draft a comprehensive policy by the end of this month to provide accessible and affordable loans to small and medium-scale farmers across the country.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on Thursday focused on agricultural development and financing, the prime minister emphasized that priority should be given to farmers owning less than 12 acres of land, ensuring they receive modern agricultural tools and financial support.
“The progress of Pakistan is directly linked with the prosperity of its farmers and the modernization of the agriculture sector,” PM Shehbaz said, underscoring the urgent need for reforms that align with contemporary global practices.
He called for a clear framework to make loans easily available for investments in artificial intelligence, quality seeds, modern irrigation techniques, and advanced farm machinery. Additionally, he stressed the importance of supporting small-scale agro-industries to help farmers process their crops into value-added, export-ready products.
The prime minister noted that ongoing reforms are being fast-tracked to equip farmers with necessary tools and training, enabling them to enhance productivity and increase agricultural exports.
A detailed presentation was given during the meeting on the status of ongoing agricultural reforms, performance of the Agricultural Development Bank Limited, and the loan programs currently being offered to farmers.
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 PM Muhammad Ali, Ministers of State Bilal Azhar Kiani and Abdul Rehman Kanju, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed, Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials.
