Apply for a ZTBL Bee Keeping Loan: Up to Rs 2.5 Million Over 7 Years

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) lends up to Rs 2.5 million per borrower for bee keeping, repayable over 7 years, and you put in 10 per cent of the loan yourself. You must be 18 to 60 years old, have a clear credit record and apply at a ZTBL branch with your CNIC, land record and two photographs.

Bee keeping is also called apiculture. ZTBL lists it as a "green banking product" and says bees help pollination, biodiversity and food security. We read the product page on ZTBL's own website on 14 October 2026. Every term below comes from that page. The page gives no markup percentage, so we do not quote one.

ZTBL lends up to Rs 2.5 million for bee keeping

The loan limit is Rs 2.5 million per borrower or party. The bank sanctions it at its head office, pays it into your current account after the legal papers are signed, and watches how you use it. The loan runs through all ZTBL branches in Pakistan.

That is a ceiling, not a promise. The bank decides the amount from your plan and your record. A small start with a few dozen boxes will need far less than the maximum, and a smaller loan is easier to repay.

ZTBL lists this loan among its development loans. On the page, the rate is "the prevailing markup rate on development loans" and the cost of credit is "as per Bank's rules". So ask the branch for the exact markup in writing before you sign. Other farm products sit on the same ZTBL list, and the wider choice is explained in the Zarkhez-e farm loan.

Age 18 to 60 and a clear credit record are the main tests

ZTBL wants a creditworthy rural resident who knows bee keeping, is 18 to 60 years old and has never defaulted on another lender. Your credit report must be clear and your Obligor's Risk Rating, the bank's score for you, must be 4 or better.

The credit report here is the e-CIB report. This is the State Bank's record of your past loans. The page says it must be clear, and its wording on that line is cut short, so ask the branch what clear means in your case.

The page also says you should be "familiar with" the work. In plain words, expect the staff to ask what experience you have, how many colonies you plan to keep and where you will place the boxes. Honey buyers and quality rules matter too, and the checks that honey sellers face are covered in the PSQCA licence check.

Bring four papers and put in 10 percent yourself

You need a copy of your CNIC, the loan application, your agricultural passbook or Fard Jamabandi (the land record), and two recent photographs. You also pay 10 per cent of the loan amount yourself as self contribution before the bank funds the rest.

Our own example: if the bank approved Rs 2,000,000, your 10 per cent would be Rs 200,000. That sum is our arithmetic from the page, not a figure the bank published. The page does not say whether the 10 per cent is counted inside or on top of the loan, so ask.

Repayment runs seven years, with the first instalment after one year

You repay in half-yearly instalments over 7 years. The first instalment starts one year after the first money is released, so you get a year of breathing room while colonies settle and the first honey season arrives.

Half-yearly means two payments a year, not twelve. Plan for that. A honey crop can arrive in a short season, so keep part of every sale aside for the next instalment. The loan is secured against any type of security the bank accepts, which means you may have to pledge land or other property.

Apply at a ZTBL branch and expect sanction at head office

Go to your nearest ZTBL branch with the papers. The branch takes your file, and the Credit Review Department at head office sanctions it. After you sign the legal documents the money goes into your current account, and the bank checks your use of it.

1. Check that you are 18 to 60, with no default and a clear e-CIB report.
2. Write a simple plan: number of colonies, cost of boxes and equipment, and where you will sell the honey.
3. Collect your CNIC copy, passbook or Fard Jamabandi and two photographs.
4. Submit the loan application at a ZTBL branch and ask for the markup rate in writing.
5. Pay your 10 per cent share when the bank asks for it.
6. Sign the legal documents and receive the money in your current account.

The bank's helpline is 051-111-30-30-30, as shown on ZTBL's home page. If you also farm crops, the loan against stored grain in the loan against stored grain is a separate ZTBL product.

Common questions about the ZTBL bee keeping loan

How much can I borrow from ZTBL for bee keeping?

Up to Rs 2.5 million per borrower or party. The bank decides the exact amount after it reviews your plan and record.

What is the markup rate?

The page says the prevailing markup rate on development loans applies, with no percentage shown. Ask your branch for the current rate in writing before you sign.

How long do I have to repay it?

Seven years, in half-yearly instalments. The first instalment is due one year after the first money is released.

Do I need land to apply?

The papers list says you need an agricultural passbook or Fard Jamabandi. The page does not say what happens if you do not own land, so ask the branch.

Can a 62 year old apply?

Not under the page we read. It sets the age range at 18 to 60 years.

Is this loan the same as Kissan Khushhal?

No. Bee keeping is a separate development loan with its own page. Kissan Khushhal is listed on ZTBL's site as a production loan.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 14 October 2026. All terms come from ZTBL's own page, Financing for Apiculture (Bee Keeping), and the helpline from the ZTBL home page. We did not apply for this loan, we did not see a markup percentage, and the bank can change terms at any time. Confirm everything at a branch before you commit.