Sberbank has decided to withdraw from the program of preferential lending to agriculture

The situation in agriculture is becoming more complicated: Sberbank has decided to withdraw from the program of preferential loans to farmers, which may entail similar steps by other banks. There are already reports from the regions about the first refusals to issue preferential loans.

Sberbank, which provides 35% of the financing of the Russian agro-industrial complex, explained its decision by the high key rate of the Central Bank and the unfavorable market situation. However, behind the official rhetoric, there is an alarming assessment of the state of the industry. For banks, the key rate is not so critical, since its difference from the preferential rate is compensated from the budget. Much more important is the risk of non-repayment, which, according to analysts, may increase dramatically due to the bankruptcy of borrowers in 2025.

Despite this, farmers will not remain completely without support. The released volumes of concessional loans will be redistributed among other banks, including Rosselkhoznadzor, which already plays a key role in this segment and will be able to count on additional funds in the event of a crisis.