Pvt banks lead 8pc surge in agri loan recovery

Staff Reporter :

Agricultural credit recovery in Bangladesh grew by 8 per cent during the first nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25), reaching Tk 27,443.31 crore, up from Tk 25,410.74 crore in the same period of FY24, according to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank.

The increase in recovery was primarily driven by Private Commercial Banks, which posted a 14.26 per cent rise, and State-Owned Specialised Banks, which recorded an 8.92 per cent growth.

In contrast, recoveries by State-Owned Commercial Banks and Foreign Commercial Banks declined by 1.72 per cent and 52.08 per cent, respectively.

In March FY25 alone, agricultural loan recovery totalled Tk 3,019.60 crore – marking a 14.10 per cent increase from the previous month and a 9.84 per cent rise compared to March FY24. The highest monthly recovery so far in the fiscal year was observed in September (Tk 3,764.51 crore), while the lowest was recorded in July (Tk 2,553.79 crore).

Meanwhile, total agricultural loan disbursement during the July-March period stood at Tk 24,860.56 crore. The majority of the disbursed credit was allocated to crop production, accounting for 47 per cent of the total.

This was followed by loans to the livestock and poultry sector (25 per cent) and the fisheries sector (15 per cent). In contrast, lending to poverty alleviation programmes and other areas experienced a decline.

Bangladesh Bank continues to support the agricultural sector through refinance schemes, particularly for institutions such as Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB). The central bank has set an agricultural loan disbursement target of Tk 38,000 crore for FY25 – an increase of 8.57 per cent from the previous fiscal year.

The growth in both loan recovery and disbursement reflects a steady emphasis on agricultural development and rural financing, reinforcing the sector’s role in economic resilience and food security.