SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 16: In its continued efforts to strengthen institutional credit flow to the agriculture sector, J&K Bank Tuesday organised a Workshop-cum-Capacity Building Programme on Creating Credit Awareness for Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) at its corporate headquarters.
The Bank’s General Manager (Government Business) Ashutosh Sareen chaired the session that was held in the presence of General Manager (Retail, Agriculture & MSME) Rakesh Magotra, DGM Aneet Kanwal Singh, representatives of the FPOs and other senior officers of the Bank.
The workshop aimed at sensitising FPOs about the banking system, availability of credit facilities, and structured financing options tailored for collective farming institutions.
Addressing the participants, General Manager Ashutosh Sareen, as per an official statement, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to supporting FPOs as key drivers of agricultural transformation and rural prosperity.
He said, “At J&K Bank, we are deeply committed to strengthening the agricultural ecosystem by empowering Farmer Producer Organisations with seamless access to institutional credit. Through initiatives like our dedicated Loan Scheme for FPOs and NABSanrakshan credit guarantees, we are enabling high-tech farming, infrastructure development, and market linkages—paving the way for sustainable growth and prosperity for our farmers.”
“FPOs play a pivotal role in aggregating farmers, improving bargaining power and enabling value addition”, he added.
Further, he highlighted that access to timely and affordable credit is crucial for strengthening FPOs and enabling them to operate as sustainable and commercially viable entities.
Earlier, while congratulating the participants for taking the lead in carrying forward the FPO initiative, General Manager Rakesh Magotra said, “There may be challenges along the way, but the end results will be rewarding and beneficial for all stakeholders. This is a mission you have undertaken with a larger purpose. With nearly 95 per cent of farmers in the UT being small and marginal, FPOs have emerged as an effective platform to promote their welfare, particularly by enabling structured and sustainable credit linkages.”
He also highlighted the range of agriculture-focused financial products and services offered by the Bank and encouraged FPOs to proactively engage with the Bank for meeting their working capital and long-term credit requirements. On behalf of the Bank, he assured the participants of full guidance from the Bank’s specialised agriculture and MSME vertical.
During the workshop, a detailed presentation was made to familiarise participating FPOs with various credit facilities and Government-sponsored schemes relevant to their operations. Participants were also sensitised about loan facilities against Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (e-NWRs) to support post-harvest liquidity and price realisation.
The programme witnessed active participation from FPO representatives, who interacted with Bank officials and sought clarity on various credit-related aspects. The participant FPOs thanked the Bank for building their capacities through such detailed credit awareness programs.
