Growth and Performance of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperatives in India

  • Unique Paper ID: 192850
  • PageNo: 3043-3050
  • Abstract:
  • This study examines the growth and performance of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperatives (PACS) in India from 2002–03 to 2022–23, with particular emphasis on their structural expansion, capital performance, and loan operations. Using secondary data collected from NAFSCOB reports and other official sources, the study applies the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) method to analyze trends in the number of PACS, membership composition, capital formation, deposits, borrowings, working capital, loan disbursement, recovery performance, and over dues. The findings reveal that, although the number of PACS has remained relatively stagnant over the long term, membership and financial indicators, such as share capital, reserves, deposits, and working capital, have shown moderate and sustained growth. Loan demand and disbursement have expanded significantly, reflecting the growing importance of PACS in agricultural credit delivery. However, rising over dues during certain phases and declining borrower participation raise concerns about credit discipline and inclusiveness, particularly among marginalized social groups. The study concludes that, while PACS remain vital grassroots institutions within India’s cooperative credit structure, strengthening governance, improving financial sustainability, and enhancing social inclusion are essential to ensuring their long-term effectiveness in promoting agricultural and rural development.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{192850,
        author = {Yathisha, H. V and Dr. B. S. Chandrashekar},
        title = {Growth and Performance of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperatives in India},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {9},
        pages = {3043-3050},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=192850},
        abstract = {This study examines the growth and performance of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperatives (PACS) in India from 2002–03 to 2022–23, with particular emphasis on their structural expansion, capital performance, and loan operations. Using secondary data collected from NAFSCOB reports and other official sources, the study applies the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) method to analyze trends in the number of PACS, membership composition, capital formation, deposits, borrowings, working capital, loan disbursement, recovery performance, and over dues. The findings reveal that, although the number of PACS has remained relatively stagnant over the long term, membership and financial indicators, such as share capital, reserves, deposits, and working capital, have shown moderate and sustained growth. Loan demand and disbursement have expanded significantly, reflecting the growing importance of PACS in agricultural credit delivery. However, rising over dues during certain phases and declining borrower participation raise concerns about credit discipline and inclusiveness, particularly among marginalized social groups. The study concludes that, while PACS remain vital grassroots institutions within India’s cooperative credit structure, strengthening governance, improving financial sustainability, and enhancing social inclusion are essential to ensuring their long-term effectiveness in promoting agricultural and rural development.},
        keywords = {Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Cooperative Credit, Agricultural Finance, Capital Performance, Loan Performance, Rural Development, Financial Inclusion.},
        month = {February},
        }

Cite This Article

V, Y. H., & Chandrashekar, D. B. S. (2026). Growth and Performance of Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperatives in India. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(9), 3043–3050.

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