Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday 15 Sep 2015 announced a mega Rs 341 billion relief package for small farmers including direct cash support and provision of soft agriculture loans.

Addressing at the Farmers Convention here at the Jinnah Convention Centre, the Prime Minister said the package was aimed at introducing progressive agriculture on scientific lines, reducing production cost of crops and make the small farmers prosperous.

The Prime Minister said the country's development was directly related to the uplift of its agriculture sector, particularly farmers.

He said under the package, small farmers would get the chunk of Rs 147 billion as direct benefit while Rs 194 billion had been allocated for agriculture loans.

He said the farmers cultivating rice and cotton at up to 12.5 acres of land would be given cash support of Rs 5,000 per acre. The government on this facility will bear the cost of Rs 20 billion each for rice and cotton crops.