In recent years, under the guidance of various levels of government, the provincial credit union, and regulatory authorities, Ningde Rural Commercial Bank has actively played its role as the main force in rural revitalization financial services. Focusing on industry development needs and public demand for financial services, it has pursued the goal of “polishing distinctive brands, exploring innovative features, and creating specialized services.” The bank has established four green-specialized branches and constructed a characteristic financial credit town in Ningde City. Additionally, with the towns along the Hutong River as key points, it has deepened the construction of a “green finance corridor” starting from Badu, passing through Jiudu and Chixi, and ending at Hutong. This supports the development of industries in these areas while also highlighting the brand of agricultural and commercial green finance services.
Innovative Credit Models Energize the Tea Industry
In recent years, Chixi Town has been accelerating the comprehensive development and upgrade of its tea industry. The “small green leaves” have grown into a major business, becoming the driving force behind economic development in Chixi Town and a pillar industry for the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside.
To improve financial service quality for the tea industry, Ningde Rural Commercial Bank has continuously innovated its financial products and models. By building an upgraded “Credit Factory 3.0,” it leverages the Ningde City production factor circulation platform, the HuiNing Fast Loan 2.0 system, and the customer grid management system to convert non-standard rural production factors such as tea leaves, tea trees, and land contract operating rights into effective credit assets. Through “factor-based” credit funds, the bank helps local specialties develop more rapidly, allowing financial “living water” to promote the growth of the tea industry and fully support industrial revitalization and the prosperity of the people.
Focusing on Industry Research and Deepening Product Innovation
To better promote the development of tea enterprises and effectively address the shortage of funds among tea farmers, in recent days, Chen Xi, the Party Secretary and Chairman of Ningde Rural Commercial Bank, led members of the leadership team, relevant departments, and branch staff to proactively provide door-to-door services. They visited the Ningde City Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., the Ningde City Jiaocheng District Tea Industry Cooperative, and tea growers in Chixi Town and Hutong Town for in-depth research.
Chairman Chen Xi listened to the problems faced by tea enterprises on-site and engaged in in-depth discussions regarding the cultivation, processing, and sales of tea by tea farmers. During the research, he instructed relevant departments and branches to closely connect with the entire tea industry chain in Ningde City, adopting a “one industry, one solution” model. They should tailor the “Ningde Tianshan White Tea SME Loan” for small and medium-sized enterprises from multiple dimensions, including target customers, admission criteria, financing amounts, guarantee plans, loan pricing, and business processes. This aims to solve issues such as the lack of collateral for small and micro-enterprises, further supporting the full-chain development of tea enterprises in tea cultivation, tea harvesting, processing, sales, and tea tourism culture, ensuring that financial “timely rain” accurately irrigates tea enterprises and nourishes tea gardens.
By the end of July 2024, Ningde Rural Commercial Bank had cumulatively issued 312 million yuan in tea production factor financing loans, with interest rates on tea production and operation loans dropping by 52 basis points compared to the beginning of the year, supporting over 3,500 tea industry chain customers.
Focusing on service optimization, Ningde Rural Commercial Bank strengthens “bank-Village” cooperation with “Red Vest” financial assistants as a bridge. It drives this effort with the “Whole Village Granting of Credit 3.0” grid-based service and digital finance, constantly enriching the connotations of the “Five Blessings” credit products and innovating credit products such as Fu Tea Loans, Tea Seedling Loans, and Tea Enterprise Factor Loans. The differentiated granting of credit service model of “one product per village, one feature per township” further deepens green finance credit services, activates rural production factors, and provides greater support for building a “rural revitalization market community.”
Moving forward, Ningde Rural Commercial Bank will continue to visit farms, households, and enterprises, actively connect with special industry customer groups, leverage its advantages in rural financial services, increase credit disbursement, and truly resolve the difficulties of farmers in obtaining financing, slow financing, and high-cost financing. It will provide strong financial support for helping farmers become prosperous and promoting rural revitalization! (Contributed by Miao Wenhua and Zhang Lu)