The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has revised the ''Indicative'' per acre credit limits of major crops and minor crops, including orchards, to meet the genuine credit needs of the farming community. These revised ''Indicative Limits'', as given below, will come into force with immediate effect.

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                            Crops                         Credit Limits

                                                      (Rupees Per Acre)

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A. Major Crops     (Existing Credit Limits)     (Revised Credit Limits)

1. Sugarcane                16,000                               18,000

2. Seed Cotton              10,000                               11,000

3. Paddy                     7,000                                9,000

4. Wheat                     6,600                                8,000

B. Minor Crops

1. Ginger/Potato/Turmeric/Tobacco                                20,000

2. Onion                                                         12,000

3. Chilly / Maize (Hybrid)/Sugar-beet/Tomato                     10,000

4. Canola/Ground nut/Maize (Local)/Soya bean/Sunflower            8,000

5. Rapeseed / Mustard        7,000                                    -

6. Bajra (Millets)/Barley/Fodder crops

   (Barseem, Jantar, Multicuts etc)/Garlic/Jawar

   (Sorghum)/Lentil (all types)                                   6,000

7. Fruit Crops (Melon, Watermelon & Muskmelon                    10,000

8. Other Crops                           As per cost (minimum Rs 6,000)

9. Floriculture:

i) Nurseries for flowers/plants

ii) Flowers                 25,000                               20,000

C. Mature Orchards

1. Mango/ Apple                                                  30,000

2. Almond/Apricots/Banana/Cherry/Citrus/Dates/Grape/Litchi/

   Peach/Plum Pomegranate                                        25,000

3. Cheekoo/Coconut/Guava/Loquat/Palm/Papaya/Pear                 15,000

4. Other Mature Orchards                                         10,000

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These limits are only ''indicative'' and are for the guidance of the banks. Banks are free to lend higher or lower than these limits on the basis of actual assessment at the time of lending.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005