Rice growers: Punjab to launch ‘Hi-Tech Bank Financing Programme’

LAHORE: The Punjab government will soon launch a ‘Hi-Tech Bank Financing Programme’ to facilitate the paddy growers, especially those growing Basmati, which holds great importance for the national economy and earns substantial foreign exchange.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo revealed this while speaking at a meeting of the provincial management committee on rice held at Agriculture House on Wednesday.

Sahoo presided over this meeting which was attended by representatives of Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA), CropLife Pakistan, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), progressive farmers and senior officers of the Agriculture Department Punjab. The meeting reviewed in detail the impact of floods on the rice crop.

The secretary agriculture said that Basmati rice is the identity of Punjab. “Rice holds great importance for the national economy and earns substantial foreign exchange through exports.” He informed that in Punjab, rice has been cultivated on more than 6 million acres this year.

He stated that committees have been formed to conduct surveys and assessments of flood damages. He further informed that the Hi-Tech Bank Financing Programme is being launched soon to facilitate farmers. He added that safe use of agrochemicals on rice is being ensured, while the process of guiding farmers for the production of export-quality rice is also ongoing. The agriculture department is running a vigorous campaign to achieve export-quality rice.

During the meeting, it was shared that the government of Punjab will provide a special package to compensate for crop losses. On this occasion, the secretary directed that regular advisories should be issued for better crop management of rice and technical guidance should be provided to farmers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025