University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan urged the banks to increase investment in the agriculture sector, especially small farmers, to break the stagnation of agricultural productivity. This will help bring modern technology to the doorstep of the farming community. He addressed the Agriculture Mela/Farmer Day participants under the auspices of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and the State Bank of Pakistan at Iqbal Auditorium.
He suggested that the banks provide Rs 1200 billion for the agriculture sector, which can be increased, keeping the small farmer’s financial constraints in view. He said that steps must be taken to bring the new technology to the doorstep of the farming community. He said that 90 percent of the farmers are farming on less than five acres, for which the increment in agricultural loans is inevitable to adopt modern trends. He said that much of the country’s population is related to agriculture. Still, to meet the growing population’s agricultural needs and make farming a profitable business, this sector has to be developed scientifically.
Syed Irfan Ali, Executive Director of the State Bank of Pakistan, said that the Bank is taking all possible measures to solve the problems of the agricultural sector so that the dream of development can be made true by handholding the farmers. He said that the people living in the villages should shun their differences and strengthen the corporate system so that small farmers can easily get loans from the bank.
He urged the farmers to use modern technology to increase their profits and help achieve a sustainable agricultural economy. He said that in this age of technology, rain forecasting, balanced fertilizers, and other agricultural recommendations are just a click away and should be utilised. HBL Agricultural Services CEO Amer Aziz said that HBL Zarai Services Limited is committed to catalysing positive change in millions associated with the country’s agriculture sector. He noted that HBL was helping the farming community eliminate the middleman. He added that our traditional agricultural system is a development hurdle, and we must promote modern technology.
Director of Agriculture Extension Punjab Faisalabad Abdul Hameed Chaudhry said that due to the wheat campaign of UAF and Punjab Agriculture Department, this year 93 per cent of farmers have sown wheat on time in November, and they hope that it will increase from 37 to 41 manna per maunds.
Dean of Social Sciences Dr Khalid Mushtaq said that although Pakistan had been blessed by nature with vast resources, due to the traditional method of cultivation, we cannot benefit from the potential in agriculture. He called for increasing loans for the agricultural sector.
State Bank Faisalabad Chief Manager Waqas Kashif Bajwa, Mohammad Rafiq, BOP Agri Head Shehbaz Ahmd and others also spoke on this occasion. The participants also visited the flower exhibition, agricultural exhibition, bank stalls, and other areas. Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Dean of Food Science, Dr Masood Sadiq Butt, DG National Institute of Food Sciences, Dr Imran Pasha and others also visited the stalls of the Pak-Korea Nutrition Center Food Festival.
