(VEN) - Since the beginning of the year, more than VND2.5 trillion in preferential capital has been spent on developing high-tech agriculture in the Mekong Delta.
Increased credit outstanding balance
In recent years, credit sources backed by the banking sector have funneled money into the Mekong Delta, as it is central to the nation’s strategy for food security and rice export, and is the country’s largest supply region of food, fruits and seafood.
According to the Credit Department under the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the 2014 total balance of credit raised through credit institutions in Mekong Delta provinces until September 30 reached VND274.464 trillion, a 5.87 percent increase since December 31, 2013 and accounting for 6.5 percent of the country’s total raised capital.
In 2011, 2012 and 2013 when credit growth in the banking sector was 14.12 percent, 8.85 percent, and 12.51 percent respectively, in the Mekong Delta credit growth also increased correspondingly or even higher sometimes with 14.6 percent; 10.7 percent and 12.4 percent respectively.
As of September 30, the total outstanding balance of credit institutions in the Mekong Delta reached VND332.576 trillion, up 7.64 percent compared with the end of last year, and accounting for 8.98 percent of the total outstanding loans of the economy.
The banking sector determined that agriculture, farmers, and rural areas in general, and rice production, aquaculture, and fruit cultivation in the Mekong Delta in particular, were priority areas for commercial banks to develop the region’s advantages and potential.
Thanks to the bank’s sources of credit, many enterprises, farms and households in the Mekong Delta have been able to raise production efficiency levels in animal husbandry and aquaculture. Also, these lines of credit have helped the region establish concentrated production regions and off-shore fishing. Since January, regional banks have committed VND2.565 trillion in loans for high-tech applications in agriculture for nine enterprises in six Mekong Delta provinces.
Developing high-tech agriculture
At the Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum recently held in Soc Trang province, the SBV held a signing ceremony for credit contracts between six enterprises of six provinces and cities (Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ninh Thuan and Thanh Hoa) and several commercial banks that joined the pilot loan program for the last phase of high-tech application in agriculture this year.
So far, 27 enterprises have been approved to implement 30 projects in 22 cities and provinces with a total value from signed contracts of VND4.6 trillion. Indeed, Vietcombank Tien Giang and Viet Hung Co, Ltd signed a loan contract worth VND80 billion to build large-scale field models in Cai Be District, Tien Giang Province for the production of high quality rice for export.
However, there are still objective barriers restraining credit growth in localities throughout the Mekong Delta, such as short-sighted planning, loose chains of production and unsatisfactory trade promotion and trademark building. As such, the SBV has adopted a number of measures to support commercial banks who have high loan ratios for rural and agricultural development. The support measures include capital refinancing, giving priority to the bank’s network expansion, reducing procedures, and offering suitable credit packages for farmers’ production activities.
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