High inflation and relatively high interest rates for companies with a lot of tied up capital are part of the context for the Swedish agriculture sector’s investment climate last year. Despite this, the number of Tillväxtbolaget’s approved loans has grown by almost 50 percent, which has enabled investments of more than SEK 1.3 billion in 2024.
”In recent years, developments have made it difficult for many agricultural companies to obtain investment loans for several reasons. For example, there is a general lack of agricultural expertise in banks and advisory services. Additional challenges are investment costs versus returns, a high-interest rate environment and a lack of long-term political regulation,” says Ulf Möller, Senior Account Manager and Head of Credit at Tillväxtbolaget.
”It is really important that we have succeeded in getting both farmers and the banking system to believe in the potential of the green industries. There are still major challenges for many individual agricultural companies, but for those who take advantage of our loans, the investments improve the conditions for profitable business. This in turn creates confidence in the future,” says Wilhelm Conradsson, Account Manager and Deputy CEO, Tillväxtbolaget.
Tillväxtbolaget attracts many younger farmers and can as a result contribute to breaking the negative trend around changes of ownership, which has long been a challenge within the Swedish agriculture sector.
"It is positive that we can continue, even more clearly, to prove that our lending model works and that we can grant loans to younger owners. This is something we must continue to do in order to future-proof the important sector that the green industries represent. The fact that we have managed to inject so much more venture capital has only upsides – for the individual agricultural company as well as for the Tillväxtbolagets’ owners," concludes Helena Silvander, CEO, Tillväxtbolaget.
In addition to Lantmännen, LRF, Scan Sweden, Swedish Dairy and VÄXA Sverige are partners in Tillväxtbolaget.
For more information, please contact:
Ulf Möller, Account Manager and Credit Manager, Tillväxtbolaget
E-mail: ulf.moller@lantmannen.com
Wilhelm Conradsson, Account Manager and Deputy CEO, Tillväxtbolaget
E-mail: wilhelm.conradsson@lantmannen.com
Helena Silvander, CEO, Tillväxtbolaget
E-mail: helena.silvander@lantmannen.com
Lantmännen’s press service
Tel: 010 556 88 00
E-mail: press@lantmannen.com