We hope that this effort can be a catalyst to help accelerate the recovery of the national economy, especially in the MSME sectorJakarta (ANTARA) - PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk has said it distributed Rp19.6 trillion in people's business credit (KUR) to 200,339 debtors in the first six months of this year.
The credit distributed comprised small KUR of Rp16.01 trillion and micro KUR of Rp3.63 trillion, it added.
Of the distribution value, as much as 58.03 percent, equivalent to Rp11.42 trillion, was distributed in the production sector, which includes the sub-sectors of agriculture, fisheries, processing industry, production services, and their derivatives, according to the bank.
In a statement issued in Jakarta on Friday, Bank Mandiri SEVP, micro and consumer finance, Josephus Koernianto Triprakoso, said that for the remainder of the year, the bank will focus more on KUR distribution in the agriculture, plantation, livestock, and fisheries sectors.
"According to our monitoring, these sectors still have potential in KUR distribution because they support domestic food security. In addition, the prospects for these sectors are still good because they are not significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic," Triprakoso added.
In addition, KUR to the production sector will continue to be increased considering that the sector is the basis of livelihood for most Indonesians, as well as one of the drivers of the national economy, he informed.
To support economic recovery in the MSME sector, Bank Mandiri has also carried out a restructuring program for KUR debtors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of delaying principal and interest payments, Triprakoso said.
"We hope that this effort can be a catalyst to help accelerate the recovery of the national economy, especially in the MSME sector," he remarked.
The distribution of KUR was still well-mitigated during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted. This is reflected in the quality of Bank Mandiri's KUR portfolio, which is well-maintained, with total non-performing loans (NPL) at 0.45 percent as of June 30, 2021, he said.
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To accelerate the distribution of micro credit, including KUR, Bank Mandiri is also utilizing the Mandiri Smart application, he added. Through the digital microcredit platform, the bank expects to accelerate the customer credit process, he explained.
Bank Mandiri has also expanded financing product schemes in the production sector for certain commodities, especially in the agricultural sector, which adapt to the needs of the growing season and allow principal and interest to be paid at harvest, Triprakoso said.
Through this strategy, Bank Mandiri is optimistic that the space for KUR distribution in the second half of 2021 will remain open, he added.
"We are optimistic that we will be able to encourage the distribution of KUR through the existing potential, and can achieve the KUR target mandated by the government," he remarked.
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Translator: Citro A, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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