Agri credit disbursement up by 9.31pc in 11 months

KARACHI - Disbursement of credit to the agriculture sector by commercial and specialised banks has
increased by 9.31 percent year-on-year to Rs 202.105 billion during the first eleven months (July-May) of the
current fiscal year (2008-09). Agricultural credit disbursement, in absolute terms, rose by over Rs 17.21 billion in
July-May, 2009 period when compared with disbursement of Rs 184.892 billion during the same period of the
last fiscal year (2007-08).
Overall credit disbursement by five major commercial banks including Allied Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited,
MCB Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan and United Bank Limited stood at Rs 98.229 billion during
July-May, 2009 period, compared with Rs 85.584 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year, depicting
an increase of over Rs 12.64 billion or 14.77 per cent.
Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, the largest specialised bank, has disbursed Rs 63.249 billion in July-May, 2009
period, up 12.80 percent when compared with Rs 56.072 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year,
while disbursement by Punjab Provincial Co-operative Bank Limited stood at Rs 4.018 billion in July-May, 2009
period, compared with Rs 4.338 billion during same period last fiscal year.
Besides, 14 domestic private banks also loaned a combined Rs 36.609 billion in July-May, 2009 period,
compared with Rs 38.898 billion disbursed in July-May 2008 period.
It may be recalled that the State Bank of Pakistan has set an indicative credit disbursement target of Rs 250
billion for the agriculture sector for the current 2008-09 fiscal year (FY09) which is higher by Rs 50 billion or 25pc
than last fiscal years target of Rs 200 billion and Rs 38 billion or 18pc higher than the actual disbursement of Rs
212 billion in FY08.