In March-May this year, the authorized banks issued 351 loans under the Affordable Mortgage 7% program for a total of UAH 297 million, the Finance Ministry has said.
“As of May 31 of this year, authorized banks for the implementation of the Affordable Mortgage 7% program signed 351 loan agreements for a total amount of UAH 297.3 million, both on the primary [24.28%] and secondary [75.72%] housing markets,” the Ministry of Finance said in a message on its website on Monday.
According to its data, the largest number of applications comes in a regional perspective from Kyiv (36%) and Kyiv region (28%).
Over the past week, the number of issued loans increased by 15%, and the amount of loans by 17%, while the growth of applications in terms of amount and number was 7%, the ministry said.
Some 14 banks are authorized to work under the Affordable Mortgage 7% program. It has been operating since March 1, 2021.
State-controlled Oschadbank (Kyiv) issued loans for a total of UAH 2.6 billion in January-May 2021, which is 2.6 times more than in the same period in 2020 (UAH 1.1 billion), the press service of the bank said.
According to the report, over the five months of 2021, the loan portfolio issued by the bank to micro, small and medium-sized businesses increased by UAH 1.2 billion, or 20.7%, to UAH 7 billion.
As noted by the press service, the growth of the portfolio is due, inter alia, to the active participation of Oschadbank in various programs to support entrepreneurship, in particular in the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% state program.
In addition, the number of partnership programs of Oschadbank with manufacturers of equipment and plant protection products has reached 230, the report says.
Oschadbank was founded in 1991. Its sole owner is the state.
According to the statistics of the National Bank, as of March 1, 2021, in terms of total assets (UAH 279.702 billion) Oschadbank ranked second among 73 banks operating in the country.
State-controlled Oschadbank (Kyiv) in 2020 issued 4,000 car loans for a total of UAH 1.9 billion, which is 11.8% more than in 2019 (UAH 1.7 billion), the press service of has bank has said.
The bank reportedly issues car loans for up to seven years and with a minimum advance payment of 10%.
It is indicated that Oschadbank cooperates with more than 500 dealer centers throughout the country.
According to the bank, among the cars that were purchased on credit from Oschadbank, the favorites in 2020 were Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Nissan, Skoda, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Honda, Subaru, Renault, Peugeot and Fiat.
Oschadbank was founded in 1991. According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of October 1, 2020, in terms of total assets (UAH 266.29 billion) Oschadbank ranked second among 74 banks operating in the country.
According to the preliminary results of the implementation of the state program of financial support for activities in the agro-industrial complex by reducing the cost of loans in 2020, almost UAH 1.05 billion out of UAH 1.2 billion planned for 2020 was compensated to agrarians, the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture said in a statement, published on its website on Tuesday.
“This year, under the program on reducing the cost of loans in the agricultural sector, UAH 24.8 billion were attracted. During the reporting period, more than 4,200 agricultural enterprises took advantage of the program. Due to this additional funding, they were able to update lines for the production and processing of agricultural products, build storages for vegetables, fruits and berries, and cover other production costs,” Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko said.
According to the ministry, the top five regions in terms of loan compensation included Odesa (UAH 91.6 million), Kharkiv (UAH 71 million), Ternopil (UAH 68.9 million), Vinnytsia (UAH 66.5 million) and Cherkasy (UAH 65.4 million).
The Economy Ministry said that in October this year, the parliament adopted in the second reading bill No. 3295, which allows farmers to receive partial compensation for loans raised to replenish working capital. In pursuance of this law, the Economy Ministry is preparing appropriate amendments in the procedure for the use of funds (resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 300).
As reported, under the budget program of financial support for agricultural producers in the direction of financial support for activities in the agro-industrial complex by reducing the cost of loans in 2020, some UAH 1.2 billion are provided.
Of the total number of authorized banks that signed a memorandum on general principles of cooperation with the Economy Ministry (36 banks), some 33 banks participate in providing compensation for loans.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will do his best to provide domestic businesses with cheap loans.
The president’s press service reported that on Friday the head of state met with farmers in Kherson region and the latter again complained about high interest rates for loans.
“The interest rates have been reduced to 8-10% per annum, but this is not enough to do business in a normal way. We understand everything and we will tackle the issue. At least the national banks will work for domestic entrepreneurs,” Zelensky said.
He recalled that the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9% program has already been launched and it will be improved.
“We are doing the utmost to provide [interest rates at the level of] 5-7-9%. I came from business, we took [loans] at 18-25% and that was terrible. The figures I am speaking about – we are doing our best to ensure these figures. And we will win,” the president said.
The entrepreneurs also touched upon the issue of cutting the VAT rate for a range of farming products, including livestock products.
Winemakers suggested the head of state to develop a comprehensive development program for winemaking.
Head of Kherson Regional State Administration Yuriy Husiev asked the entrepreneurs to collect their proposals and send them to the government so that it can develop a support program.
“We will consider the issue. Let’s send them [the proposals] to the government and the President’s Office – we’ll consider them simultaneously,” Zelensky said.
TAScombank and Raiffeisen Bank Aval (both are located in Kyiv) signed an agreement with the Entrepreneurship Development Fund on Thursday, May 14, on participation in the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% government program to support small and medium-sized businesses, Director of the Entrepreneurship Development Fund Ruslan Hashev has said.
“Today we sign agreement with two new banks. These are TAScombank under 5-7-9% rates and Raiffeisen Bank Aval as participants,” he said during a roundtable conference of the Financial club on Thursday.
Hashev said that as of May 14, due to frequent refusals from banks, just 452 loans were issued under the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program. The main reasons for the refusals were the non-compliance of the borrowers with the criteria of the program or the requirements of banks, as well as the previous ban on combining different types of support.
