Agricultural loans are of huge help to farmers in funding their agricultural operations and to stock up on fertilizers, seeds, insecticides and labour. These loans are taken by farmers for traditional crop cultivation and allied activities such as poultry, pisciculture, land acquisition, and machinery upgrades. With low interest rates such as 7.00% p.a., agriculture loans provide timely and affordable capital. Read our comprehensive guide to understand the various types of loans, popular government schemes, the application process and eligibility criteria for availing an agricultural loan in India.
The listed below are the interest rates for agricultural loans for various banks in India:
Bank | Interest Rate | Processing Fee |
State Bank of India | At the discretion of the bank | At the discretion of the bank |
IDBI Bank | At the discretion of the bank | At the discretion of the bank |
IndusInd Bank | 7.00% - 13.25% p.a. | 2% of the loan amount + GST |
Central Bank of India | 7.00% p.a. onwards | Up to 0.30% of the loan amount |
Karur Vysya Bank | At the discretion of the bank | At the discretion of the bank |
Given below is the list of types of agriculture loans that you can avail for yourself:

A diverse array of popular agricultural loan schemes is offered by various financial institutions in India to cater to the specific credit requirements of the farming sector. These schemes are designed to ensure that timely and affordable financial assistance is provided to farmers for both short-term and long-term agricultural needs.
Leading financial institutions in India offer specialized credit facilities to support the diverse needs of the farming community. These organizations provide essential funding for a wide range of agricultural and allied activities, ensuring that farmers have access to the capital required for growth and sustainability.
Name of the bank | Agriculture loan schemes offered |
State Bank of India |
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Karur Vysya Bank |
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IndusInd Bank |
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Purchase of farming machinery and equipment:
Essential tools like tractors, harvesters, and power tillers are bought by farmers using these funds. Tasks are automated and overall productivity on the field is increased through this investment.
Purchase of land:
Farmers acquire additional acreage through agricultural loans to expand their existing cultivation area. Farmers can scale-up operations and increase long-term crop yield via this assistance.
Horticulture projects:
Farmers can utilize this capital to set up orchards, greenhouses, and vegetable farms. The intensive management required for high-value fruits, flowers, and plantation crops is supported by the funding.
Purchase of vehicles:
Farmers can buy transport vehicles like trucks and pick-up vans to move their produce from the farm to the market.
Establishment of dairy units:
Funds are used to support various aspects of the dairy business, like acquiring cattle for efficient milk production, constructing sheds for providing shelter for the livestock and providing the intensive care required for high-yield breeds.
Establishment of small poultry units :
The loan funds help in establishing poultry houses for intensive rearing, rapid growth of chicks, quick capital turnover by meat production and daily revenue by egg production.
For working capital needs:
Agricultural loans are helpful for ensuring continuous operations and covering essential inputs like seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.The loan basically provides necessary liquidity for maintaining the farming cycle.
For seasonal requirements:
Seasonal spikes come in with its associated costs and farmers can utilize agricultural loans to cover those costs. Additionally it helps cover costs of sowing, harvesting and any extra labour.
For fish farming:
Farmers of aquaculture can avail agricultural loan for maintenance of ponds, for fingerlings. It can also be utilized for quality fish feed that accelerates growth rates.
The key features and benefits of agriculture loans are as follows:
The documents that you may be asked to submit at the time of applying for an agriculture loan are as follows:
The eligibility criteria to borrow an agriculture loan will vary based on the type of loan scheme that you opt for. The generalised eligibility criteria, however, are as follows:
The highlights of the Interim Union Budget 2024 in terms of agriculture are given below:
In acknowledgment of the vital importance of agriculture, the interim union budget has earmarked Rs.1,27,469.88 crore for the Ministry of Agriculture. Within this allocation, the Department of Agriculture receives Rs.1,17,528.79 crore, while the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) is allotted Rs.9,941.09 crore.
The agriculture credit target has been increased to Rs.20 lakh crore in the Interim Budget 2024-2025, with a focus on welfare initiatives for farmers. Funding for the Agriculture Accelerator Fund, introduced in Budget 2023-24, continues to support rural entrepreneurs and agricultural startups, promoting innovative solutions to farming challenges and modernizing agricultural practices for improved productivity and profitability.
Allocation for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi remains unchanged at Rs.60,000 crore, providing direct financial assistance to 11.8 crore marginal and small farmers.
Acknowledging the challenges encountered by farmers, the continued implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has been allocated funds. This crop insurance initiative aims to offer security to four crore farmers, safeguarding them from unexpected events such as adverse weather conditions. The Government is dedicated to improving the efficacy of crop insurance by enhancing awareness and accessibility in rural regions, thereby stimulating growth in the insurance sector.
India grapples with substantial post-harvest losses, amounting to 5–13% for fruits and vegetables and 3–7% for other crops annually, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs.1,52,000 crore. To tackle this pressing issue, the budget underscores the importance of public-private partnerships to upgrade infrastructure and storage facilities. By mitigating losses, India can bolster food security and stimulate overall economic growth.
India's agricultural sector is undergoing a digital revolution, exemplified by the integration of additional mandis with the e-NAM platform. The electronic National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) serves as a pan-India trading portal, consolidating various State-run Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) mandis. The interim budget aims to integrate 1,361 mandis, projecting an increase in trading volumes to Rs.3 lakh crore in 2024-2025, benefiting 1.8 crore farmers. This initiative represents a significant stride towards establishing a more efficient and transparent agricultural market system.
The key stages involved in the process of availing an agriculture loan are as follows: Submission of application form and relevant documents Lender processes the application Loan amount is sanctioned Loan amount gets disbursed into the customer's savings account
The time required to process your application will vary based on the lender's terms and conditions. That said, most lenders take around 7 days to process loan applications.
In addition, purchasing of land, or purchasing of agricultural tools, storage of produce and transport also are included under purview of agricultural loans.
Yes, banks do extend loans to farmers for purchasing lands. However, banks usually finance purchase of land within a radius of 3 to 5 Kms of their residence or within village boundary.
Most lenders will allow you to prepay the outstanding loan balance and pre-close the loan amount before the completion of the loan tenure. However, you may need to pay a pre-closure penalty to the lender.
Yes, most lenders will require you to have a guarantor.
Yes, it is possible. As per Govt policy women owning land could lead to their empowerment. Hence, purchase of land in women can be financed and preference can be given to women in distress, SHG members and widows etc.

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