KUALA LUMPUR:“Agrobank has recorded its highest financing value ever worth RM9 billion for the first half of 2017,” said chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zabidi Zainal at the Agrobank Agropreneurs Awards 2017 (AAA) presentation earlier today.
“Out of the total, RM5.6 billion is for the primary agricultural sector and the remainder RM3.4 billion is for the agro-food segment.”
For comparison purposes, Agrobank reported an increase of 16.9 per cent to RM8.7 billion in its total financing value for the financial year ended 31 December 2016.
Zabidi added that agriculture has always been and will always be important economic growth for Malaysia, despite ongoing digital disruptions.
The bank also further strengthen its financial inclusion initiative by including an eight category to the 2017 AAA, which is the People With Disabilities (PWD) Agropreneur Award.
“The PWD Agropreneur Award is part of our ongoing financial inclusion initiative in which we are targeting to provide services to the unserved and underserved,” said Zabidi.
“In fact, Agrobank is already offering the Agro Bakti, which is a microfinancing product for PWDs in agriculture.”
The bank had also in March this year begun offering the Agro Nurani Takaful, which is also the country's first Takaful plan for PWD, under its five year collaboration with Takaful Ikhlas Bhd.
The other seven categories are Young Agropreneur Award, Micro Agropreneur Award, Woman Agropreneur Award, Innovation Agropreneur Award, Loyal Customer Award (individual and company) and Excellent Agropreneur Award.
Over 300 guests attended the 2017 AAA presentation, which was launched by Minister or Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.