농림수산업자신용보증기금의 여건변화와 발전방안

Abstract

농업이 성장 동력을 확충하고 지속적으로 성장하려면 농업부문에서 투자가 활발히 이루어져야 한다. 농업의 자본제약에 의해 농가에 필요한 자금이 충분히 공급되지 못하는 것을 보완하고 농업발전에 필요한 자본조달을 확대하기 위해 정부가 정책적으로 개입하는 농업정책금융을 공급한다. 이러한 농업정책금융 수단 가운데 하나가 신용보증이다. 최근 저금리 추세가 지속되면서 신용보증으로 농가의 차입여력을 확대하는 농신보의 역할이 더욱 중요해지고 있다.

그러나 농신보가 농업부문의 신용력을 보완하는 역할을 충분히 하고 있는지에 대해 검토해 볼 필요가 있다. 농가의 차입규모가 정체되는 등 신용경색현상이 나타나고 고금리의 사채이용 비중이 높아지고 있음에도 불구하고 농신보의 운용배수율이 낮아 보수적으로 운용되고 있는 것으로 판단되기 때문이다.

이 연구는 농업구조의 변화와 농산물 시장개방에 따른 농업수익성의 악화, 저금리구조의 금융환경 변화 등 외적 여건 변화에 대응하여 농신보의 역할을 강화하는 방안을 마련하고자 하는 것이다. 이를 위해 먼저 농신보의 현황, 성과와 문제점을 분석하고 여건 변화에 따른 과제를 선정한 후 농신보의 역할강화를 위한 과제를 제시하였다. 이 연구는 농업정책금융 및 농신보 제도개선방안 연구의 세부과제로 시행되었다.

Research Background The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Credit Guarantee Fund (Nongshinbo) was established and has been run since 1971, to enhance credit of farm and fishery households by providing credit guarantees based on fund’s underlying assets to financial institutes. Recently, as the structure of agriculture changes and the agricultural policy fields are expanding, a demand for role enhancement of Nongshinbo is increasing. However, some people cast doubt on the effectiveness of Nongshinbo in that the ratio of guarantee utilization of Nongshinbo is low of 3.68. They say that the Nongshinbo is not fulfilling its purpose sufficiently, because of its conservative management in solving the credit crunch problems in the agriculture sector. We need to point out the reasons and set direction to make the Nongshinbo strengthen its role by counteracting actively the changes in the environment.

Method of Research We presented the statistics on the fund raising, credit guarantee, subrogation payment and so on to understand the operational status of Nongshinbo. In addition, we draw implications by reviewing the other credit guarantee funds such as Korea Technology Finance Corporation and the credit guarantee system in the U.S. We suggested main results of the farm survey to analyze the condition of the Nongshinbo credit use and examined the accomplishment of the Nongshinbo in terms of credit easing of farm households and the financial institution solvency. The performing deficiencies of the Nongshinbo have also been inspected. We propose the basic direction for enhancing the role of Nongshinbo under the changing circumstances. Conclusion and Implication of Research The amount of credit guaranteed loan for one year was up to 12.4 trillion won before and after the year 2001 in which the policy for farm household debt problems has been implemented. However, as the subrogation payment was expanding due to an insolvency of farm household, the total amount of credit guaranteed loan has declined since 2007, following the tightening qualifications. The proportion of governmental funds credit to all funds credit in the guaranteed loan is 63% at the end of 2013 showing that the credit guarantee is focusing on the governmental funds. The Nongshinbo has played some important roles such as broadening the supply of credit to farm households who have low credit and dropping the rate of loan and expanding solvency of the farm households. In implementing the agricultural policies, the Nongshinbo improved the policy effect by increasing the size of loan etc. Nevertheless, it is still unsatisfactory in credit easing due to the low ratio of guarantee utilization of Nongshinbo and the lack of expertise in evaluation of business value. The separated structure between the credit guarantee organizations and the lending organizations, the lack of connection with the agricultural policy, and less diversity of business are tasks to be dealt with. In recent years, Korean farm households have been confronted with changes in agricultural environment along with lasting low interest rates, changes in agricultural policy for exports of agricultural products or agricultural technology and so on. We suggest five basic directions for enhancement of the role of the Nongshinbo. First, we should supplement Nongshinbo’s credit guarantee system to revitalize investment and prevent worsening profitability in the agricultural sector. Second, we should widen the range of the credit guarantee beneficiaries in response to the changes in agricultural structure. Third, the enlargement of the credit guarantee business areas that are necessary to agriculture is needed. Fourth, the management system to strengthen the connection between the credit guarantee system and the agricultural policy has to be constructed. Fifth, we should reorganize the management system of Nongshinbo to improve the speciality and promote the continued work innovation. To be specific, the avoidance of borrowers has to be minimized by increasing the ratio of partial guarantee from 85% to 90% and definitizing considerations for subrogation payment decision. To enlarge the credit guarantee business area, we should introduce the system that relates investment to the credit guarantee and credit guarantee insurance system to broaden the business range. The high-dimensional cooperative system between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Financial Services Commission is needed to strengthen the connection between them. Finally, some methods should be considered to enhance independence of the Nongshinbo whose administration is now consigned to National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, and furthermore, Nongshinbo should be an independent institution.

Researchers: Hwang Eui-sik, Lim Ji-eun Research period: 2014. 1. ～ 2014. 12. E-mail address: eshwang@krei.re.kr