Colombia: Ministry of Agriculture advances debt forgiveness for potato producers

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in conjunction with Finagro and Banco Agrario, is making progress in implementing the commitments made at the National Potato Roundtable.

As part of this process, financial relief programs are being implemented, allowing farmers in arrears on loans backed by the Agricultural Guarantee Fund (FAG) to access forgiveness of up to 100% of interest and 80% of the principal.

In the last four weeks, 14 support sessions have been held in Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Norte de Santander, and Cauca, with the participation of more than 200 producers who received support and alternatives to settle their debts.

The municipalities benefiting from the project include Subachoque, La Calera, Carmen de Carupa, Villapinzón, Pasca, Une, and Sibaté in Cundinamarca; Chitagá and Pamplona in Norte de Santander; El Carmen de Viboral and La Unión in Antioquia; and Santander de Quilichao, Piendamó, and Popayán in Cauca.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Martha Carvajalino, emphasized that these actions respond to commitments made directly with producers. “ This is proof that this Government, the Agrarian Reform Government, is also one of dialogue and listening. We sat down with the potato farming sector to agree on commitments, and these are the commitments we are fulfilling thanks to the joint work of the entire agricultural sector. We are fulfilling our duty, with dignity, to one of the most important sectors for our food security, and this is a great step in that goal of strengthening the chain ,” she stated.

For her part, Finagro President Alexandra Restrepo reiterated her invitation to the more than 2,400 potato producers who still have outstanding debts supported by the FAG to apply for the Relief Law.

“ At Finagro, we are delivering. We continue to make progress in implementing measures that ease the financial burden on affected producers and give them peace of mind to continue working their land. These financial relief campaigns, which we carry out in conjunction with Banco Agrario, are proof that the National Government is delivering for the pulp and paper sector with real solutions in the territories ,” he stated.

Banco Agrario has also implemented support measures. Its president, Hernando Chica Zuccardi, reported that, as of August, the bank had normalized the portfolio of 646 potato farmers, totaling $14.211 billion. "As far as the bank is concerned, there are 1,347 clients in the sector who have FAG guarantees and are in arrears," he noted.

The executive specified that the union’s portfolio currently totals approximately $311 billion, concentrated primarily in Boyacá, Nariño, and Cundinamarca. " We stand by Colombian potato farmers, and that is why we continue to hold portfolio normalization sessions in which we have served nearly 7,000 producers, while continuing to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Finagro on the commitments we have made to support them, particularly in the current situation, " he added.

The measures are part of the roadmap defined with producer organizations at the National Potato Roundtable, the purpose of which is to strengthen the sustainability of the production chain and guarantee better conditions for those who depend on this crop. In addition to financial relief, mechanisms have been established to extend payment terms and provide credit facilities through Finagro’s Special Credit Line for Agricultural Reactivation.