Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank

What Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank does

Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (KSCARDB) is the statutory apex body for cooperative long-term agricultural credit in Kerala, India, established under the KSCARDB Act of 1984 (predecessor organization dates to 1956; current name adopted in 1990). Headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, KSCARDB coordinates lending operations across 75 affiliated Primary PCARD (Primary Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development) Banks covering all 14 districts of Kerala, serving a membership of over 1.2 million — equivalent to 13% of the state's rural households.

The institution's product portfolio spans Farm Sector Loans (coconut, rubber, spices, plantation crops, dairy), Non-Farm Sector Loans, Rural Housing Loans (up to Rs. 25 lakhs), Short-term Loans, Gold Pledge Loans (up to Rs. 15 lakhs), Fixed Deposit mobilization, and central-government subsidy schemes (DEDS, NLM, NDPREM, ELRS) channeled through NABARD. Approximately 80% of borrowers are small and marginal farmers, reflecting a deep focus on the agricultural base. Interest rates range from 6-9.9% on farm loans and 6.5-6.75% on deposits; deposit outstanding stood at Rs. 331.60 crore as of 31.03.2020.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest spread on the loan-deposit book, supplemented by fee income on subsidy-scheme administration for NABARD and partner government programs. Go-to-market is conducted entirely through the two-tier cooperative federation (apex + 75 primaries), with no disclosed digital channels. Leadership comprises Managing Director Shaji V. Nair, General Manager Aparna Prathap, and Agricultural Development Manager Biju Varghese T. Strategic partnerships include NABARD (subsidy conduit), NORKA ROOTS (NDPREM for return emigrants), the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, and Kerala Agricultural University.

Name

Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank

Legal name

Kerala State Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank Ltd.

Website

https://keralalandbank.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (KSCARDB) is the statutory apex body for 75 Primary PCARD Banks across Kerala, serving over 1.2 million rural members with farm loans, rural housing, gold pledge, deposits, and NABARD-routed subsidy schemes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Agricultural Banking

NAICS

Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural & Rural Development Banks (FSABAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural lending
• Rural development finance
• Cooperative banking
• Long-term credit
• Subsidy schemes

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiruvananthapuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Agricultural and Rural Development Loans: Long-term investment credit for agriculture and rural sectors, including farm sector loans (land development, soil conservation, minor irrigation, plantation/horticulture, farm mechanization), non-farm sector loans, rural housing loans, short-term loans, and deposit-linked loans.
2. Deposit Mobilization: Fixed deposits collected through 75 PCARD Banks. Deposit mobilization started from 01/03/2012. Interest rates fixed by Registrar of Co-operative Societies. Deposit outstanding as on 31.03.2020 was Rs.331.60 crore.
3. Gold Pledge Loans: Gold loan scheme with amendment of scheme rules. Maximum loan amount Rs.15.0 lakhs for crop loan and farm purposes with max 1 year repayment period.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KSCARDB is an apex cooperative bank that provides long-term agricultural and rural development credit to farmers and rural households across Kerala. It offers farm and non-farm sector loans, rural housing loans, short-term loans, gold pledge loans, fixed deposits, and channels central and state government subsidy-linked schemes (DEDS, NLM, NDPREM, ELRS) through its network of 75 affiliated PCARD Banks, serving over 12 lakh members and approximately 13% of Kerala's rural households.

Product overview

Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (KSCARDB) is the Apex organization of 75 Primary Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Banks (PCARD Banks) in Kerala. The bank operates as a multi-product financial institution offering Farm Sector Loans (with concessional rates of 6-9.9% for agricultural purposes), Non-Farm Sector Loans (for enterprise, transport, and services), Rural Housing Loans (up to Rs. 25 lakhs), Short Term Loans (including gold pledge loans up to Rs. 15 lakhs), and Deposit Linked Loans. The bank also implements government subsidy schemes including Dairy Entrepreneur Development Scheme (DEDS), National Livestock Mission (NLM), NORKA Department Project for Rehabilitation of Return Emigrants (NDPREM), and Education Loan Repayment Support Scheme (ELRS). The digital presence includes a website portal providing information about products, branch locations, circulars, and financial reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Sector Loans Long-term credit products provided to farmers for agricultural operations, crop production, and farm development activities across Kerala.
• Non-Farm Sector Loans Credit products for rural non-farm activities and micro-enterprises, supporting rural entrepreneurs and allied economic activities outside of agriculture.
• Rural Housing Loans Long-term housing finance product targeted at rural households in Kerala for the construction and renovation of rural homes.
• Short Term Loans Short-duration credit products meeting immediate funding needs of farmers and rural borrowers for seasonal and consumption purposes.
• Gold Pledge Loans Secured loan product offered against the pledge of gold ornaments, providing quick credit to rural households and farmers.
• Fixed Deposits Deposit product offered by KSCARDB to mobilize savings from members and the public, providing a safe savings avenue with fixed returns.
• Subsidy Schemes (DEDS, NLM, NDPREM, ELRS) Channel for central and state government subsidy schemes including Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS), National Livestock Mission (NLM), National Dairy Plan - Rural Development Fund (NDPREM), and Entrepreneur-cum-Livestock Route Scheme (ELRS), disbursed to eligible rural beneficiaries through affiliated PCARD Banks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 80% of borrowers belong to the small and marginal farmer category
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NABARDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABARD is the implementing agency for Capital subsidy schemes under DEDS (Dairy Entrepreneur Development Scheme) and NLM (National Livestock Mission). NABARD has developed a portal for online submission of subsidy applications. KSCARDB channels NABARD-assisted loans and processes subsidy claims through the Ensure Portal.
• NORKA ROOTScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSCARD Bank and NORKA Roots entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to provide finance through affiliated PCARDBs to applicants under NDPREM scheme. NORKA ROOTS provides capital subsidy up to 15% of project cost (max Rs.3.00 lakhs) and interest subsidy of 3% up to 4 years to prompt repaying customers.
• RCS (Registrar of Co-operative Societies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCS sets interest rates for deposits and loans, issues regulatory circulars, and oversees cooperative banking operations in Kerala. KSCARD Bank operates under the regulatory framework of RCS.
• Kerala Agricultural UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a useful link on KSCARDB website for agricultural expertise and knowledge sharing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Emerging players

• Samunnati (AgriFin): Leading Indian agri-fintech offering credit and market linkage solutions to FPOs and small farmers. Comparable as an emerging digital-first competitor addressing the same marginal farmer base with faster, data-driven underwriting.
• Muthoot Finance: India's largest gold loan NBFC with deep rural and semi-urban penetration in Kerala. Comparable in the gold pledge loan category that KSCARDB also offers, with materially larger scale and digital reach.

Broad incumbents

• State Bank of India - Agricultural Banking Group: India's largest commercial bank with a dedicated agricultural banking group, including Kisan Credit Card and long-term farm lending. Comparable as a dominant incumbent in the same agricultural credit market but at vastly greater scale.
• Kerala State Cooperative Bank (Kerala Bank): Short-term cooperative credit structure / state cooperative bank in Kerala providing a wider retail and rural banking footprint. Comparable as a Kerala-headquartered cooperative lender servicing overlapping rural customers.
• Regional Rural Banks (e.g., Kerala Gramin Bank): Government-sponsored regional rural banks in Kerala providing low-cost agricultural and rural credit, often competing head-on with PCARD Banks for the same small and marginal farmer segment. Directly comparable in target market and product set.
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD): NABARD is India's apex development bank for agriculture and rural financing and the primary refinance and subsidy channel for KSCARDB. It is comparable as the overarching institutional counterparty for state-level cooperative agricultural banks.

Direct peers

• Maharashtra State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank: State apex cooperative agricultural and rural development bank in Maharashtra, providing long-term agricultural credit, rural housing, and non-farm sector loans to farmers through affiliated primary banks. Same institutional design and product mix.
• Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank: Agricultural cooperative apex bank in Andhra Pradesh with a parallel structure of primary cooperative agricultural banks offering long-term farm and rural credit. Highly comparable in mandate, governance, and product suite.
• Tamil Nadu Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank: State-level apex cooperative agricultural and rural development bank serving Tamil Nadu. Operates the same tiered cooperative structure (state apex + primary card banks) and offers long-term farm credit, rural housing, and non-farm loans.
• Karnataka State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank: Counterpart apex cooperative agricultural and rural development bank in Karnataka with the same statutory structure under a state cooperative act and primary PCARD bank affiliates. Directly comparable in business model and product set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kerala-state-cooperative-agricultural-and-rural-development-bank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank