Javier Carrizo Esquivel, General Manager of the National Bank, recalled that the Agricultural Development Bank (BDA) was created to help small producers nationwide, not to grant multi-million dollar loans.
"I don't want to get ahead of myself, but there will be a credit cap (at the BDA) so that large loans go to the traditional banking system, the National Bank, or the banks in the agricultural sector," he added.
"That's what the BDA was created for, for the small producer, not to make multi-million dollar loans," he said.
According to Carrizo Esquivel, the idea is for the BDA to focus on small producers so that they can be given teaching, technology, and support for their projects."
Furthermore, Carrizo Esquivel detailed that auditors from the General Comptroller's Office are already working at the BDA facilities, an institution that has not been audited in the last 20 years, with the last audit carried out in 2005.
Regarding the transformation of the BDA into an Agricultural Development Institute, Carrizo Esquivel explained that to carry out this restructuring, it will be necessary to present a bill before the National Assembly.
In this sense, he indicated that at the Cabinet meeting held in Santiago, it was announced that 470 loans had been granted to small producers for a total of 7.6 million dollars.
The General Manager anticipated that, if irregularities are confirmed, legal actions will be taken against those responsible.
