BRI pushes agriculture sector to flourish during pandemic

Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-owned bank BRI remains committed to pushing the agriculture sector to develop during the COVID-19 pandemic through financial assistance and empowerment.

"BRI is always committed to offering financial support and empowerment for sectors that can survive during the pandemic, so they can later go for larger expansion," BRI Deputy President Director Catur Budi Harto noted in a statement  here on Friday.

Harto remarked that the agricultural, forestry, and fishery businesses recorded the highest growth in production of 12.93 percent. This has driven BRI's commitment to always encouraging the agricultural sector to continue to survive and grow during the pandemic, he remarked.

He highlighted BRI's commitment to encouraging lending to the agricultural sector that amounted to Rp117.54 trillion (around US$81 million) until the end of the second quarter of 2021, or grew by 12.8 percent (yoy).

"In comparison with the total lending to the agricultural sector nationally, until March 2021, BRI had a market share of 28.03 percent of the total credit disbursed by national banks in the agricultural sector," Harto affirmed.

BRI is optimistic of being able to continue to allocate more financial assistance to the agricultural sector. Such agenda is owing to the fact that MSME actors, including farmers, continue to face difficulties in accessing financing from financial institutions.

"Farmers must focus on maintaining business continuity, completing (documents that show) legality, implementing good business governance management, making financial transactions at banks, and joining a business ecosystem," he stated.

Harto noted that  BRI had prepared end-to-end products and services for the agricultural sector. The products offered comprised savings -- BRI Current Account, BritAma, Simpedes -- and loan products, such as BRI KUR and Commercial Loans.

BRI also has a choice of reliable transaction facilities that utilize BRI channels, including BRImo, BRILink Agents and BRI ATMs. BRI facilitates empowerment through various programs for the agricultural sector comprising the My Life Cluster, BUMN House, and MSME Link.

"BRI also provides assistance in facilitating market access through the Pasar.id, BRILianpreneur, PADI MSME programs. With this easy access, it will certainly increase efficiency for the agricultural sector and provide added value for farmers," he affirmed. (*)