In the current year, the loans of cooperative banks and local banks to business customers exceeded the figure of 200 billion euro. Of these 10 billion euros represent credit to the agricultural sector, over 50 billion euros concern the manufacturing sector, of which 8 billion euros to the food industry and 15 billion euros to the processing branch of other mineral processing products non-metallic. 36 billion euros is the amount of credit disbursed to the construction sector while for services, where half of the total loans of Credito Popolare to businesses are concentrated (100 billion euros), 36 billion euros are loans to commercial companies wholesale.
In commenting on these data, the Secretary General of the National Association of Popular Banks, Giuseppe DeLucia Lumeno, he recalled how “Cooperative banks are in close contact with local productive realities, contributing to the development of economic activities in the area. Proof of this is the fact that over half of the jobs are concentrated in manufacturing areas with a prevalence of small and medium-sized enterprises, 10% in tourist areas and 5% in agricultural ones. The credit to the primary sector, manufacturing and services ensured by Cooperative Banks in the various local areas confirms the precious role that these institutions play within the communities to which they belong and the ability to promote development and meet the challenges provided by the fluctuations of the economic cycle ”.
