This is a seasonal facility made available to the agriculture sector, mainly tobacco growers to assist with the growing and marketing of the crop. Other commercial enterprises eligible under this facility include seed maize, tea, coffee, sugarcane, and livestock producers.

Features and benefits

✅ Borrowers are allowed to overdraw their current accounts against agreed cash flow projections up to an agreed seasonal limit.
✅ The facility is available either in local currency or US Dollar depending on the currency of the revenue streams.
✅ This facility provides farmers with seasonal financing requirements e.g. fertilizer and chemical purchases, payment of wages and rations, tenants’ crop purchases, transport etc.
✅ The Bank allows drawdowns monthly, quarterly etc. in line with cash flow agreed between customer and the bank.
✅ Interest is charged at an agreed rate, usually a fixed number of points above the base rate.

Requirements

• Customers are usually required to put up a contribution of up to 40% of the total financing requirement from their own funds.
• Crops must be grown on land held on a freehold or leasehold by the farmer and grower must be registered with the authorities where applicable