Government adopted a loan program for the growth of agricultural production in sensitive sectors

Zagreb – The Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted, at the session held on September 17, 2026, the Loans for the Growth of Agricultural Production in Sensitive Sectors Program within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027. According to the Decision published in the Official Gazette (Narodne novine) No. 105/2026 of September 18, 2026, under the official mark 1262, HAMAG-BICRO will directly grant loans from 1,000 to 150,000 euros to small business entities in the agricultural sector. The Decision bears the mark Class: 022-03/26-04/375, Registry Number: 50301-05/14-26-3.

The Decision was signed by the Prime Minister mr. sc. Andrej Plenković, and was made based on Article 9, paragraph 1 of the Act on the Promotion of Small Business Development and Article 31, paragraph 2 of the Act on the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The Program is co-financed by funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and HAMAG-BICRO grants the loans in accordance with the conditions of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Financing Agreement signed on March 11, 2024, between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, and HAMAG-BICRO.

Program Goal and Purpose

The goal of the Program is to facilitate access to financing for small business entities in the agricultural sector through greater availability of loans, reduction of interest rates, and reduction of required collateral, with the possibility of writing off part of the loan principal. The purpose is investment in the tangible and intangible assets of users whose business operates within intervention 73.10.FI – Support for investments in primary agricultural production.

The loans contain de minimis aid in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 of December 13, 2023, and the Ordinance on the Granting of De Minimis Aid, Class: 403-01/24-01/02, Registry Number: 567-10-24-1, of March 7, 2024; aid in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 1408/2013 of December 18, 2013, and the Ordinance on the Granting of De Minimis Aid in the Agricultural Sector, Class: 302-01/17-01/05, Registry Number: 567-10-23-4, of June 29, 2023; and public aid in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of December 2, 2021.

Covered Sectors

The Program is intended for micro, small, and medium small business entities in the primary agriculture sector, specifically for:

• dairy cattle farming
• beef cattle farming – fattening of calves
• beef cattle farming – cows in beef cattle farming
• sheep and/or goat farming – milk production
• sheep and/or goat farming – meat production
• pig farming (sows)
• beekeeping
• fruit growing (apple, pear, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, sour cherry, plum, or strawberries in protected areas)
• vegetable growing

Loan Conditions

The key financial conditions established by the Program are:

• loan amount: from 1,000 euros to 150,000 euros
• interest rate: 0.10% fixed
• loan purpose: fixed assets
• grace period: up to 12 months if the repayment period is at least 2 years
• minimum repayment period: 12 months
• maximum repayment period: up to 8 years including the grace period, or up to 10 years including the grace period for young farmers
• application processing fee: no fee
• security instruments: promissory notes and other security instruments based on risk assessment

Principal Write-off and Validity Period

The principal write-off of the utilized loan amount is up to 45 percent, and up to 50 percent for young farmers. The Management Board of HAMAG-BICRO is authorized and tasked to independently make decisions on the adoption of products (financial instruments) and other decisions necessary for their implementation within the goals and conditions of the Program.

The Program enters into force on the day of its adoption and is valid until the funds are utilized, but no later than December 31, 2029. The Decision is published in the Narodne novine, and the supports from the Program are an integral part of the Decision.

For farmers in the specified sectors, this represents direct access to favorable financing without an application processing fee and with the possibility of a partial debt write-off, which should encourage investments in fixed assets and strengthen production in sectors that the Government considers sensitive. The Program is time-limited by the utilization of funds, i.e., until the end of 2029.

Source: Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia, no. 105/2026, Zagreb, September 18, 2026. – Decision 1262 on the adoption of the Program loans for the growth of agricultural production in sensitive sectors within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy of the Republic of Croatia 2023 – 2027, Class: 022-03/26-04/375, Registry Number: 50301-05/14-26-3, Zagreb, September 17, 2026.; signatory: Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia mr. sc. Andrej Plenković.