The National Mortgage Credit Bank (CHN) confirmed to Press Libre that they already have a cooperative in disbursement and another cooperative approved to begin granting Tob’anilk credits to small and medium -sized farmers seeking financing to promote their crops. The information was announced by Luis Pérez, director of MSMEs of the CHN.
The Tob’anik program has Q500 million of the credit fund for small and medium-sized agricultural producers, created by Decree 17-2024, and is administered by the CHN. According to official information, it is aimed at small producers who use family labor that hire workers and sell most of their production. The credits go from Q3 thousand to Q150 thousand for small and until Q300 thousand for medium, with a maximum interest rate of 10% per year.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (Maga) made the transfer of Q500 million to the CHN of the respective funds. However, according to outstanding estimates by the Maga during an interview with Free pressthe credits were expected to start delivering in March, which has resulted in a two -month delay in the process. For Ana Contreras, Agexport Consulting Group manager, these arrears can even affect a harvest due to climatic variations.
Pérez indicated that the Cooperativa nearby will seek to benefit 350 farmers, while the cooperative has already approved will grant credits to around 1,400 producers.
In June, Pérez stressed that they hope to have other cooperatives and transfer the information to the Maga, an entity responsible for receiving the data from the final beneficiaries. The magician emphasizes that the passage to follow, after the delivery of credits, will be the monitoring and inspection of the end users.
Cooperatives with coverage in province
The first cooperative, ” On the other hand, the second cooperative, approved on May 20, has venues in Quetzaltenango, Sololá, Quiché and Totonicapán.
According to Pérez, at the end of May it is estimated that the first credits will be delivered to the farmers by the Cooperative in disbursement. Meanwhile, at the beginning of June, Pérez indicated that the credits of the second cooperative could begin to be granted.
Each has a specific strategy to reach certain sectors, to certain cultures and specific municipalities, because that is where they have a presence, said Pérez, who added that he hopes to have this first semester with clear indicators of how much it has been placed among the farmers.
In addition, Pérez said that there are about seven cooperatives in the process of approval for the next two months, and added that another 25 cooperatives have shown interest in accessing such credits.
Contreras said that the maximum amounts to be granted to medium and small producers are “a slightly low amount.” However, he pointed out that credits have competitive rates and favorable conditions to boost the agricultural sector. For Contreras, financing is essential for agriculture, especially in the interior of the country, where several of the cooperatives operate.
Cultivation cycles
According to Pérez, the amount of beneficiaries varies according to the cultivation cycles that are sought to impact. Likewise, one of the cooperatives will distribute the resources depending on the department, although the director of MSMEs said that the specific data is not yet available, since an analysis must be performed.
On the other hand, Pérez stressed that cooperatives must make a projection to place resources based on time. One of them will place a certain amount every month, until reaching the final amount granted.
It is not the same to sow in Chimaltenango as in Sololá, Pérez explained, who added that the destiny of the resources by each cooperative depends on that. The official clarified that the credits can range between Q3 thousand and Q300 thousand, with a maximum of Q150 thousand for small and Q300 thousand for large producers. Pérez recalled that these credits have a period of up to 12 years.
A point addressed by Pérez was that the delivery of the credits is currently planning, since the rainy season has not yet begun, and it is during the dry season that the farmers begin the planting.
Backward disbursement
The delays were linked to changes made in the regulation, according to data provided by the Ministry. Although this was prepared in December 2024, in April of this year the document was modified, specifically the annex that allowed certain cooperatives to access the credits. According to Pérez, the requirements to facilitate access were adjusted and the process was ordered.
Contreras argued that, despite being a good economic initiative, too much time was taken to formalize and put it into practice, which could cost even a harvest. This, he said, because the agricultural sector is seasonal and the productive cycles are determined by the weather.
Although they are out of time, Contreras expect the execution to be effective. However, he warned that if delays persist, credits will not achieve the expected objectives.
How to request Tob´’anik credit?
- Enter the Official page of the Tob’anilk credits.
- Click on the button that says “CHN information for farmers and financial entities.”
- Will be redirected to a new page; Select the “Agricultural” option.
- Another window will open. Move until the end and press “see here.”
- A new window will appear with the list of authorized cooperatives to grant credit.
- Click on the cooperative that suits you and continue with the steps indicated to complete your application.