Agriculture Loan Interest rates

These are loans meant for a wide range of agricultural and farming purposes are available to citizens of India. Farmers are supposed to apply for loans to buy supplies for the cultivation of food grain crops along with other purposes such as horticulture, animal husbandry, aquaculture, and floriculture and sericulture businesses. As well as farmers can also avail special loans to finance the purchase of agricultural machinery including tractors, harvesters and trucks. Others purchases for which agricultural loans can be taken include construction of biogas plants and irrigation systems along with agricultural land through special types of agricultural finance. Loan rates for agriculture are however based on several factors.

Why Are Agriculture Loans Important

As on 2015, agriculture is still the principal source of livelihood for more than half the population of India or are related to agriculture as most of the Indian rural side is still dependent on agriculture as a profession. This is also because this industry provides the maximum amount of wage goods required by non-agriculture sectors and most of the raw materials for the industries sector. The Central Government, State Governments and the farming community have succeeded in achieving record production of 244.78 million tonnes of food grains during 2010-11 but it may still not be enough for the community to enhance their standard of living. There is an immense requirement of financial aid necessary for agriculture in India.

Types of Agriculture Loans

There are various banks around the country that aid farmers across their designated regions when it comes to agriculture finance, available in exclusive government recognised banks to maintain maximum transparency in loan handling as well as to ensure that farmers do not have to deal with paying extra for taking loans from a repetitive bank.

State Bank Agriculture Loans

The bank has the largest network in the country, with a branch functioning with all facilities in the most rural parts of the country. These schemes include Crop Loans, Produce Marketing Loan Scheme, Loan Against Warehouse Receipts, Kisan Credit Card Scheme, agricultural term loans, Land Development Scheme, Farm Mechanisation Scheme, Financing Of Combine Harvesters, Minor Irrigation Scheme, Kisan Gold Card Scheme, Land Purchase Scheme, Dairy Plus Scheme, Krishi Plus Scheme, Arthias Plus Scheme, Broiler Plus Scheme, Finance To Horticulture, Lead Bank Scheme and Agri Business Heads Scheme. The Bank also provides Microfinance through Self Help Groups along with loans through 30 regional rural banks.

Nationalised Bank Agriculture Loans

Nationalised banks that provide agricultural loans include Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India, UCO Bank, Vijaya Bank, United Bank of India, Syndicate Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Dena Bank, Allahabad Bank, Andhra Bank, Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank only to name a few. In fact most nationalised banks have facilities for farmers to make the most of low Agriculture Loan interest rates.

Co Operative Agricultural Bank Agriculture Loans/ NABARD

Is responsible for refinance disbursement to commercial banks, State cooperative banks, State cooperatives, rural development banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and other eligible financial institutions. It also sanctions money through its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for projects covering irrigation, rural roads and bridges, health and education, soil conservation and drinking water schemes. NABARD also offers a Kisan Credit Card Scheme and crop loans under the Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana.

Agriculture Loan Interest Rates

Agriculture loan rates, generally start from 8% and above but they come with special waivers as well as benefits which may reduce the agricultural interest rates to the bare minimum. Also there are variety of payment options that are often flexible and spread a long tenure for a comfortable loan repayment.