Lahore: ASF approves 48 grants for projects

Lahore: Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) has approved 48 grants for projects worth Rs 9.7 million for different private sector agribusiness enterprises. The grants will support 42 Farmers Enterprise groups (around 435 Farmers in the groups).

These projects include development of packaging for guavas in Kohat, setting up dehydration units for chilies in Kunri, raising vegetable seedlings in green houses in Larkana and for establishment of low tunnels for cultivating off-season vegetables in Nawabshah.

Grants were approved for enterprises ranging from Farmer Groups to SMEs, from all over Pakistan for purchase of different BDS (Business Development Services), said a spokesman of the ASF here on Wednesday. The Appraisal Committee of Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) gave approval to these projects in its fourteenth meeting, he added.

The main focus of the support was on reducing poverty in rural areas, especially in Sindh and NWFP. Grants provided to SMEs included support for training of consultants in setting up Tunnel Farming Units, obtaining BRC Certification for export, carrying out of a market study for identifying new products for an engineering cluster and support in establishment of flowers farm.