CM hails 96% loan recovery from livestock farmers

Second phase of scheme to boost meat export inaugurated

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated the second phase of the Livestock Card scheme and expressed satisfaction over the 96 per cent loan recovery rate achieved in Phase I.

Provincial Livestock Minister Ashiq Hussain Kirmani and Secretary Ahmad Aziz Tarrar said on the occasion that farmers would receive Rs27,000 per animal through the card to purchase feed, silage and mineral mixtures along with other essential supplies through interest-free loans.

The government aims to increase meat production by ensuring balanced nutrition for 600,000 animals over the next two years.

Farmers will receive interest-free loans worth Rs16.2 billion under the scheme.

The principal amount will be repaid by the farmers, while the Punjab government will bear the interest.

The card will also facilitate free tagging of animals and anti-foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination.

The beneficiaries will be able to withdraw 25% of their interest-free loans in cash through ATMs.

It was revealed that the Livestock Connect portal had linked 23,000 farmers with meat exporters and the Punjab government had signed MoUs with eight major exporters to promote meat export.

MoUs have also been signed to facilitate meat exports to China, the Gulf countries, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and European markets.

The number of women livestock farmers registered under the scheme has risen to 1,107.

The CM was informed that animal exports from Punjab had increased by 43% and meat exports by $96 million in a year due to the scheme

A total of 23,312 Livestock Cards have been prepared for farmers across Punjab. Under the scheme, 1,739 farmers have carried out more than 70,000 transactions.