Credit disbursement to the agriculture sector shot up by 24.82 per cent in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year 2013-14 compared to the same corresponding period of the previous FY 2012-13. According to the data of Agricultural Credit and Financial Inclusion Department of Bangladesh Bank, both the public and private commercial banks have disbursed Tk 2,861.58 crore in the period of July-September of FY 2013-14 while they credited Tk 2,292.52 crore in that period of the previous fiscal year, a 24.82 per cent more than the first three-month of the FY 2012-13.
The BB data also shows that the loan disbursement to the agriculture sector in the Q1 of FY 2013-14 was 19.61 per cent of the credit target of Tk 14,595 crore for the agriculture sector.
Besides, the rate of credit realisation in the agriculture sector was also higher in the July-Sept of 2013-14 than the same corresponding period of the previous fiscal year 2012-13.
As per the central bank’s data, the banks have realised Tk 11,000 crore credit from the agriculture sector in the first three-month of FY
2013-14 while the amount of credit realisation in this sector was Tk 9290.56 crore in the same corresponding period of FY 2012-13.
Provash Chandra Mallick, general manager of Agricultural Credit and Financial Inclusion Department of BB, said the amount of agriculture loan has been increased in recent time due to mainly strong supervision and keeping an eye to the agriculture development by the central bank.
Moreover, at the outset of the current fiscal year the demand for agriculture loan was high during ‘aman season,’ he said.
“The risk in the agriculture loan is very low as most of the agro-loan is small in size. Thus, the loan recovery rate is very sound,” Mallick said.
Analysing the central bank’s data, it has been found that in the July-September period of 2013-14, the state-owned commercial banks have distributed Tk 1,699.43 crore agro-loan among farmers and the private commercial banks along with foreign banks disbursed Tk 1162.15 crore credit to the agriculture sector.
Among them, Bangladesh Krishi Bank have allowed highest amount of agriculture loan to the farmers which was Tk 110.24 crore.
And, the Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan bank disbursed Tk 237.77 crore agro-loan securing second position in terms of agro-loan disbursement.
Among the state-owned commercial banks, Sonali Bank has disbursed Tk 113.12 crore agro-loan.

News:The Independent/07-Nov-2013