Karnataka Bank targets Rs 9k cr agri-loan this fiscal

Private sector lender Karnataka Bank is targeting to disburse about Rs 9,000 crore agriculture loan this fiscal, seeing potential opportunities in the sector. The bank said it is also in line with government's vision to double farm sector income by 2022.

"With the government's vision of doubling farmer's income by 2022, there are enough opportunities for financing in agricultural sector. The monsoon has started on a very positive note and forecasts for the ensuing months are also encouraging. Bank will bestow special focus to leverage these positives and is targeting to reach Rs 9,000 crore of farm credit portfolio for 2018-19," Karnataka Bank MD and CEO Mahabaleshwara M S said.

The modern agricultural practices have led to increase in productivity and the bank will be in the forefront in extending a helping hand to the farmers for adopting new technology, the bank said in a statement.

The agri-business managers of the bank will counsel and advise the farmers about market conditions, crop patterning with the help of technology to enable them take better farm decisions, the bank said.

The bank will also partner with agricultural fintech companies to provide better technological solutions to manage agriculture portfolio more effectively. The bank branches have been also advised to focus on the areas such as warehouse receipt finance, irrigation, farm mechanisation, agricultural gold loan, crop loans, development loans and loans to agro processing units for increasing agri credit portfolio.

The bank had reported an increase in income during full fiscal 2017-18 which was up at Rs 6,378.09 crore from Rs 5,994.74 crore. The bank did see a slump due to provisioning of bad loans.

The bank now has 800 branches of which 45 per cent is rural and semi-urban areas.