In the first 10 months of 2020 Center-invest Bank made 856 loans for a total of RUB6.6bn under a Russian Ministry of Agriculture preferential loan programme. This was a 10% increase on the same period of last year.

The preferential loans for agribusiness, with a maximum interest rate of 5% per annum, help not only large companies but also small enterprises. Ninety percent of the bank’s borrowers from the agribusiness sector are small farms.

Center-invest Bank is one of the leading lenders for agribusiness in southern Russia. The agribusiness sector accounts for almost half of the bank’s SME loan portfolio.

In its work with agribusiness, as well as managing risks that are typical for the financial sector, Center-invest Bank takes into account seasonality and the impact of fluctuations in global prices for agricultural products. The bank’s loan products allow for the specific characteristics of the agricultural sector and its borrowers’ requirements.