We count on our expertise and feel the strength to support agribusiness in Ukraine

Natalia Porvina, Head of Agro Business Support and ESG Department

An agricultural business worker is not only an honorable profession, but also a vocation of the heart. On November 17, we celebrate the Agrarian Day, your professional holiday. For us at Credit Agricole, this is one more opportunity to express our gratitude to you for your daily work and contribution to the recovery of Ukraine. As a part of the international financial Group, which has been operating on the market for more than 130 years, we are always willing to support you with expertise and premium service, financing to replenish working capital, update the machinery fleet, and implement energy independence projects.

Agro is embodied in our DNA, ideology, history and roots, since the history of the international Group began with the establishment of agricultural credit institutions in France, which were focused on supporting farmers. To some extent, this caused a technological revolution in the national industry at the time, and banks for farmers appeared in every region of France.

The international Group has highly evaluated the potential of Ukrainian agricultural sector, hence Credit Agricole has been operating in Ukraine for 31 years. When we just started our activity, our customers were international companies serviced by the Group's banks worldwide, but nowadays we cooperate with all business segments, both with local corporate companies, and with companies of the SME segment, as well as small agricultural producers. The Group's experience of cooperation with the agricultural sector, as well as the team of experts who have degree in agronomy and veterinary medicine, allowed us to be one of the first to focus on the support and development of agribusiness. Agricultural expertise is one of our strong points. When communicating with our professionals, customers do feel that the bank understands the specifics of their activity. In 2018, we launched the first banking AgroSchool in Ukraine, and this project is one of our flagships even as of today. The aim of this project is to teach all bank employees to speak the same language with the customer, the language of Agro.

Our mission is focused not only on the support of agricultural companies, but also on assistance in the modernization and transition of producers to a new level of efficiency and profitability.

An important direction of our work is also the development of ESG principles of corporate management (environmental, social, governance), as well as practices of sustainable agricultural production. Our strategy is to help Ukrainian agribusiness achieve the highest international standards of production by saving energy, resources and reducing carbon footprint. Today you have already an opportunity to get cashback on leasing cars, machinery and equipment for SMEs up to USD 5 000 or 10-15% of the financing amount. We have implemented this program together with USAID. We also collaborate with leading manufacturers and dealers, namely John Deere, Fendt, New Holland, Wielton, MAN and others.

Moreover, our bank offers partnership programs for financing the purchase of seeds, PPPs, and mineral fertilizers. We count on more than 60 partner programs to provide a full cycle of service to agrarians.

Energy-saving project financing is also in the core of our attention. It is challenging enough to overestimate this direction nowadays, when farmers are faced with the threat of blackouts due to the destruction of a significant part of Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Agribusinesses are looking for ways to reduce their dependence on the national energy system, and we're helping them.

We do understand that businesses should switch from the quick fix of generators to larger and more sustainable solutions. Agricultural producers need long-term reliability, and not only insurance against military risks and problems related to the increase in the cost of fuel and imports. Climate challenges have increased to a high level as well. Projects on energy saving, adaptation of the producer’s agricultural model to climate change are not only a need, they imply a huge potential for the growth of the Ukrainian agricultural sector.

Solar, biogas, and wind projects ‒ we finance all of this and will continue to actively support it. In addition to financing, we also offer expert assistance from a team of professionals who visit customers throughout Ukraine. Help to sow, grow and sell crops on time is our unchanging mission.

Credit Agricole will continue supporting agribusiness in Ukraine. And agricultural producers who work on the land reciprocate: about 80% of customers stay with us for more than 5 years. We think long-term, not looking for short-term gains. We believe in the potential and strength of Ukrainian agribusiness, thus we will continue investing resources and efforts in the development of our country and its agricultural sector.

We express our sincere congratulations to all agricultural business workers on your professional day! Respecting the Ukrainian land and ancient farming traditions, we offer reliable banking, effective financial solutions and in-depth expertise of our team. Together we invest in the recovery of Ukraine!