Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) — interest-subsidised loans for warehouses, cold storage and similar projects
Government of India
Overview
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) supports post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets. Farmers, agri-entrepreneurs and cooperatives get medium- to long-term loans with interest subvention and credit guarantees, to strengthen agricultural supply chains and reduce post-harvest losses.
Loans carry a 3% per annum interest subvention, available for up to 7 years. Loans up to Rs 2 crore are covered by a credit guarantee through CGTMSE (the fee is borne by the government), so little or no collateral is needed. Repayment moratoriums range from 6 months to 2 years. Viable projects such as warehouses, cold storage, grading and sorting units, pack houses and ripening chambers qualify, and applications can be made for more than one project.
The official page says the scheme applies to projects sanctioned during the designated scheme period, which was originally FY 2020-21 to FY 2025-26. Whether new projects are being sanctioned in 2026-27 can be confirmed only with the lending bank.
At a glance
- Administering authority
- Government of India
- Scheme type
- Agriculture, Business & Finance
- Place of posting / area
- All India
Benefits
- 3% per annum interest subvention on loans, cutting the cost of borrowing
- Credit guarantee for loans up to Rs 2 crore through CGTMSE (fee borne by the government)
- Little or no collateral for loans up to Rs 2 crore, thanks to the guarantee
- Medium- and long-term loans for post-harvest infrastructure and community farming assets
- Repayment moratorium of 6 months to 2 years
- Interest subvention for up to 7 years
- Can be combined with other central and state schemes
- Multiple projects allowed, subject to limits
- Loans from many institutions, including commercial banks, cooperative banks and NBFCs
- Handholding by a Project Management Unit for project preparation and implementation
Eligibility
- Eligible: farmers (individuals and groups), Farmer Producer Organisations and companies, agricultural credit societies and cooperatives, agritech startups and agripreneurs, central, state and local government agencies, and public-private partnerships
- Applications can be made for more than one project
- The project must be feasible, economically viable post-harvest infrastructure — such as warehouses, cold storage, grading and sorting units, pack houses and ripening chambers
- The applicant must own the land or hold a valid lease
- The applicant must meet the lending institution's credit norms
- Scheme period: applies to projects sanctioned during the designated scheme period (originally FY 2020-21 to FY 2025-26)
Important dates
| Notification published | 26 Jun 2026 |
|---|
How to apply
- Loans are available from many lending institutions, including commercial banks, cooperative banks and NBFCs
- You must meet the lending institution's own credit norms
- A Project Management Unit helps with project preparation and implementation
- Ask the lending bank whether new projects are currently being sanctioned (the official page gives the original scheme period as FY 2020-21 to FY 2025-26)
Last updated: 1 Nov 2026
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