ISLAMABAD: Shehbaz Sharif said the development of the agriculture sector is the guarantor of food security as he directed his administration to accelerate the implementation of the uplift package to help the farmers.
The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting to review the so-called Kisaan Package introduced by the government for the development of the sector.
Sharif stressed the need to ensure food security in Pakistan at all costs. He stressed paying special attention to the cultivation and production of wheat, cotton, canola, and olives for food security in the country.
He emphasised ensuring the supply of better seeds to increase the production of other food grains including pulses.
The meeting was informed about the implementation of the package, youth loan scheme, interest waiver for small farmers and provision of interest-free agricultural loans to small farmers in flood-hit areas through the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) notification to banks for which instructions have been issued.
In the current fiscal year until November, agricultural loans of Rs664 billion have been distributed to farmers, a 36 percent increment compared to the same period in the last year.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Industries Minister Syed Murtaza Mehmood were among those present in the meeting.
SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Coordinator Rana Ahsan Afzal and senior officials also attended the meeting.
