Loans to Agriculture Sector Surge to Rs. 1.26 Trillion in 1HFY25 

The credit disbursement to the agriculture sector surged to Rs. 1.26 trillion by the end of the first half of the current financial year (FY25) as compared to its full-year target of Rs. 2.5 trillion set by the banking regulator for commercial banks.   This was disclosed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad while addressing a meeting with the businessmen and traders at the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.   He said that the prudent monetary policy stance has played an important role in restoring macroeconomic stability. He highlighted recent policy initiatives taken to enhance ease of doing business; including export and import facilitation, dividend repatriation, and support for freelancers and IT exporters, as well as strengthening the digital ecosystem.   The governor noted that SME financing rose from Rs. 543 billion in December 2023 to Rs. 638 billion in December 2024. He also appreciated the role of the MCCI and called on the business community to invest in future technologies and explore non-traditional markets to diversify the overall exports of the country.   It is pertinent to mention here that the credit disbursement to the agriculture sector touched the mark of Rs. 2.216 trillion in the last financial year.