EFFECTS OF CREDIT PROGRAMME OF ZARI TARQIATI BANK LIMITED ON MILK COWS PRODUCTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS OF DISTRICT MARDAN

The present study was carried out in rural area of District Mardan in 2012. The main objectives were to assess the effects of ZTBL’s credit program on milk cow productivity by various size of farms, problems and constraints faced by farmer in financing procedure by bank, recommendations for improvement of ZTBL’s credit program for agriculture development. Three tehsils, namely Mardan, Takhth Bahi and Katlang were purposively selected from each tehsil two villages namely Gujar Garhi, Rustum, Lund khwar, Shergarh, Katlang and Jamal Garhi were selected. All beneficiaries of the ZTBL consists of 260 respondents, out of which cows, owner was 107. With the help of interview schedule data were collected from the respondents. According to results the literate respondents was 73%. The owner was 97%, owner-cum-tenant,3%. In various size of land in 0.1-5 hectares category the cows owner was 92%, in 5.1-10 hectare category was 3%, in 10.1-15 category was 2% while in 15.1-20 category hectare was 2% however in above 20 hectares was only 1% . The Short term credit respondents were recorded 43%, medium term 53% where as the long term was counted only 4%. The total amount disbursed to sampled cows owner was Rs.25546000 and the coverage of the short term was 16%, medium term was 77% while the long term was only 3%. However continuation status of the sampled credit owner was 70%. According to result average milk cow number after credit was 1.5980 and before 1.4019 and change was 13%. Average annual cost after credit was Rs. 48777 and before Rs.26941. Percent change was 81%. The average annual production value after credit was Rs.90990 and before 48570, the % change was 87%. The farmers are still facing a number of problems, such as shortage of finance, high costs of food, non availability of quality breeds, high interest rate charging by ZTBL, complicated procedure of the bank, non availability of loan in time etc. Recommendations for solution are; loan should be provided to farmers according to requirements; in time availability of loan to farmer is requested; interest rate should be decreased in future, fodder cost of the cows should be decreased; one window operation policy should be applied by bank for enhancement of milk cows productivity in the study area etc.