Loans to Nafed turn NPAs

Banks to take a haircut if government allows one-time settlement

<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-73154314/stock-photo-percent.html" target="_blank">Image</a> via Shutterstock
Manojit Saha Mumbai
Last Updated : Nov 22 2013 | 2:51 AM IST
Loans to National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) by several state-run banks have turned bad, with banks classifying these as non-performing assets (NPAs).

The overall exposure of these banks to Nafed stands at about Rs 2,000 crore.

State Bank of India (SBI)’s exposure stands at Rs 800 crore. Since SBI’s loan was for price-support operations, this had a government guarantee. Therefore, the lender is yet to classify it as an NPA. Even if it does so, the NPA won’t attract higher provision, owing to the government guarantee.

Also Read

However, loans by other lenders, which were towards commercial operations, didn’t have sovereign guarantees.

Most of these lenders have classified the loans as NPAs. In the quarter ended September, Central Bank of India’s Rs 200-crore exposure turned into an NPA. Earlier, Punjab National Bank had declared its loan, too, had turned into an NPA.

An executive of a public sector bank with exposure to Nafed said, “We have written to the government for its approval for a one-time settlement. The government will pay 60 per cent, according to the proposal.”

For 2011-12, though the cooperative earned a gross profit of Rs 45.68 crore, owing to the huge interest liability on outstanding loans, there was a net loss of Rs 188.42 crore. It had reported a turnover of Rs 1,063.28 crore for 2011-12.

Nafed is the government’s procurement agency for non-cereal crops such as cotton, oilseeds and pulses. It procures these crops from farmers when market rates fall below minimum support prices, and sells these when prices recover.

Earlier, Nafed had planned to sell bad loans worth Rs 1,800 crore to asset reconstruction companies, but the plan is yet to materialise. Its annual interest liability has exceeded its operating profit through the last few years, and, as a result, the entity is unable to service its debt.

BAD LOANS
 
* The overall exposure of the banks to Nafed stands at Rs 2,000 crore

* SBI’s exposure stands at Rs 800 crore

* Earlier, Nafed had planned to sell bad loans worth Rs 1,800 crore to asset reconstruction companies, but the plan is yet to materialise
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 22 2013 | 12:46 AM IST

Next Story