ZTBL distributed agricultural loans worth Rs363.39 billion nationwide during the four-year period, but farmers in Balochistan received just Rs16.56 billion, highlighting the province’s limited share in agricultural credit.
Punjab received the largest share at 84.52%, followed by Sindh with 9.59% and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 4%. Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan collectively received 1.44% of the total agricultural loans, the documents showed.
The disparity was also reflected in agricultural lending by all banks during the fiscal year 2024-25, when Balochistan accounted for only 0.4% of the total agricultural loans distributed across Pakistan.
All banks collectively disbursed Rs9.51 billion in agricultural loans in Balochistan during the fiscal year, compared with more than Rs2.045 trillion in Punjab, according to the available figures.
The figures highlight a substantial regional gap in agricultural financing and raise questions about farmers’ access to credit in Balochistan, where agriculture faces persistent challenges, including limited irrigation facilities, water scarcity and a predominantly dry climate.
Agricultural loans enable farmers to purchase seeds, fertilisers, machinery and other essential inputs, as well as invest in irrigation systems and modern farming techniques. Limited access to credit can restrict farm productivity, discourage investment and place additional pressure on rural livelihoods.
The low share of agricultural financing allocated to Balochistan underscores the importance of examining regional lending patterns and the accessibility of bank loans for farmers in water-stressed and less-developed areas.
Expanding access to affordable agricultural credit could help farmers in Balochistan improve crop production, adopt water-efficient farming practices and strengthen the province’s agricultural economy.
