Punjab farmers lead in getting loans from ZTBL
While Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited
(ZTBL) has extended financial support to farmers across Pakistan, the situation
for farmers in Balochistan is starkly different. In the first two quarters of
2024, Balochistan farmers received a mere 0.51% of the total loans disbursed by
the bank.
In contrast, farmers in Punjab
emerged as the primary beneficiaries, securing 80.64% of the total loans
distributed across all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and
Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. An official source reported that
out of the total Rs38.287 billion disbursed by ZTBL in the first half of 2024,
Punjab farmers received Rs30.877 billion.
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The remaining provinces, including
Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, collectively received Rs7.41
billion. Specifically, farmers in Sindh received 10.72% (Rs4.105 billion),
while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa farmers received 6.62% (Rs2.533 billion). Farmers in
Azad Jammu and Kashmir garnered just 0.10% (Rs41 million), and Balochistan
farmers received only Rs196.6 million, representing 0.51% of the total.
Additionally, farmers in
Gilgit-Baltistan and the Islamabad Capital Territory received Rs396 million and
Rs227.4 million, respectively.
ZTBL, formerly known as the
Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP), positions itself as a leading
financial institution focused on the development of the agriculture sector
through financial services and technical expertise. However, despite its
claims, the bank primarily concentrates on Punjab, with limited outreach to
other provinces, particularly Balochistan.
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Among the approximately 28 different
types of loans offered by ZTBL, farmers in Balochistan have received only 0.51%
(Rs196.6 million) up to July 2024, highlighting a significant disparity in
agricultural support across regions.
Source: The Nation