Supplementing credit policies to serve agricultural and rural development

The Government has just issued Decree No. 156/2025/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 55/2015/ND-CP dated June 9, 2015 of the Government on credit policy for agricultural and rural development, which has been amended and supplemented by a number of articles according to Decree No. 116/2018/ND-CP dated September 7, 2018 of the Government.

In particular, Decree No. 156/2025/ND-CP adds Article 15a. Credit policy to encourage organic and circular agriculture to Decree No. 55/2015/ND-CP.

Accordingly, customers with projects or plans for the production and business of organic agricultural products in accordance with the provisions of the law on organic agriculture or projects or plans for the production and business of agricultural products that meet the criteria for circular economy in accordance with the provisions of the law on circular economy will be considered by credit institutions for unsecured loans of up to 70% of the value of the project or plan.

In case the customer in Clause 1 above encounters risks due to objective or force majeure reasons, the loan debt will be handled as in the case of a focal organization implementing value chain linkage as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 14 of Decree No. 55/2015/ND-CP.

In addition, Decree No. 156/2025/ND-CP amends Clause 2, Article 9 of Decree No. 55/2015/ND-CP, which has been amended in Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree No. 116/2018/ND-CP. Specifically, individuals, households, cooperatives, business households, farm owners, cooperatives, and cooperative unions are considered by credit institutions for unsecured loans at the following levels: Maximum VND 300 million for individuals and households. Maximum VND 500 million for cooperatives and business households. Maximum VND 3 billion for farm owners. Maximum VND 5 billion for cooperatives and cooperative unions.

In addition, Decree No. 156/2025/ND-CP also amends Clause 1, Article 12 on debt restructuring and new loans of Decree No. 55/2015/ND-CP. Accordingly, credit institutions are allowed to maintain the debt group for debts with principal and interest balances that have been restructured in terms of repayment terms according to the regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam on credit institutions restructuring debt repayment terms for customers facing difficulties due to objective reasons and force majeure as prescribed in this Decree; at the same time, based on the feasibility of the project, production and business plan, and the customer's ability to repay, consider granting new loans to help customers overcome difficulties, stabilize production, and repay old and new debts to credit institutions.

This Decree takes effect from July 1, 2025.

(According to Tin Tuc Newspaper)

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/351872/Supplement on policies on trust and service for rural development.