MIRPURKHAS, Feb 15: The Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan may not achieve target of recovery of its dues in the district and surrounding areas due to poor financial condition of growers, caused by continued water shortage.

The water shortage has forced a large number of growers to face arrest warrants as they have failed to pay even the principal amount of the loan they had obtained from the ADBP.

According to the growers, due to mismanagement of the irrigation department, acute shortage of water persisted in Mirpurkhas district and its surrounding areas lately, which had made them cultivate lesser area.

Most of the farmers have failed to clear their dues also due to low prices of their crops, with the result that they had been declared defaulters by the bank.

Several farmers of talukas of Mirpurkhas, Digri, Samaro, Kunri, Khipro, Umerkot and Pithoro told this correspondent that they were unable to pay dues of the ABDP.

They said that sugar mills owed them millions of rupees and despite repeated complaints to higher authorities, no steps were taken against such mill owners.

They lamented that instead of suspending the recovery campaign of the ADBP for a year, the government was arresting growers for becoming defaulters.

It was learnt that Rs1 billion of the ADBP were outstanding against growers in Mirpurkhas district.

Arrest warrants against several farmers have been issued by banking courts and notices were served upon hundreds of farmers.

Sources said that Rs1.17 billion were outstanding against 12,800 farmers in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar areas. Out of the amount, only Rs170 million could be recovered during current fiscal year.

LEAVES: The Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan authorities, taking notice of failure of the bank staff to achieve dues recovery target in Sindh, have imposed a ban on officers and field staff for proceeding on leave.