Union of Small and Medium Enterprises survey highlights small and medium enterprises finance issues

Karachi, February 08, 2015 (PPI-OT): The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged Ashraf Mahmood Wathra the governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to promote the micro and small to medium sized enterprises through hire purchase, leasing and special schemes designed for the sector.

President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is very important for SBP to direct the commercial banks to relax their collateral requirements for financing the SMEs and consider financing against positive cash flows. He appreciated the different schemes of SBP but said that since the risk in financing was of the commercial banks, the different schemes.

The reduction in discount rate by SBP was also much appreciated but unfortunately the commercial banks have not reduced their lending rates proportionately and their spread is high. He urged the SBP to provide credit guarantee to commercial banks against default by the SME borrower and said the commercial banks will not be inclined to finance the SMEs unless they are made comfortable through credit guarantee insurance by the SBP.

Thaver said through a survey conducted by UNISAME it was found that some of the SMEs need finance to acquire assets namely land, machinery, building. Others need working capital or running finance to purchase raw material or goods, pay utilities, salaries. Many SMEs need trade finance for import, exports and domestic trading. All the entrepreneurs complained of lack of interest of commercial banks in financing them and pointed out that the banks were demanding immovable properties in selected areas as collateral.

Few even informed UNISAME that the banks were not inclined to discount export bills and refused post shipment finance against bills of third world countries and letter of credits established by buyers having low rating opening banks. Most of the entrepreneurs were not aware of the SME Bank and those who knew said it is just like any other commercial bank and not a specific SME bank.

Senior citizens complained that the commercial banks were not financing them as the insurance companies were not prepared to insure them and the unemployed youth complained that the banks were not financing them because the banks were financing businesses which were at-least 3 years old.

Incidentally senior citizens also complained that the National Saving Centres were delaying profit payments by cheques as the cheque books were in short supply and cheques were not being issued by the treasury promptly and suggesting the depositors to collect profit of less than Rs 100,000 by cash.

One senior citizen pointed out that he requested for profit cheque 10 days ago but had still not received the profit cheque. Secondly new senior citizen depositors are offered very low rates and they are unable to survive on such low rates. It is very important that the government takes good care of its senior citizens and ensures their comfort as Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a welfare state.

Thaver urged the SBP to educate the banks in risk management and also design products for the SMEs through the Bankers Institute of Pakistan. UNISAME suggested the designing of SME credit cards for all micro and SME units according to their size to enable them to pay utilities and purchase bills and facilitate them for short periods till sale and realization of proceeds of their goods or services.

Secondly commercial banks must be directed to finance mandatory percentage of their lending to SMEs. Most of the banks are engaged in consumer financing and reporting it as SME financing. This needs to be checked. Thirdly SBP needs to promote hire purchasing and leasing without down payments or equity as this is asset based financing.

Fourthly SBP must come up with schemes to finance energy companies and security companies to promote alternate energy generation and private guards and detectives services provider companies. Business is not growing due to lack of energy and due to poor law and order.

For more information, contact:
Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
75/1 3rd Commercial Street,
Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35884225-6
Fax: +92-21-35380642
Cell: +92-300-8245307, +92-321-8245307
Email: unisame@gmail.com