Importance of cooperative banks in the crediting of the agricultural sector – the experience of European countries and conclusions for Ukraine

Abstract

The aim of the article is to investigate the role of cooperative banks in banking systems and in the crediting of the agriculture sector in some European countries. Cooperative banks specialize in the crediting of small and medium businesses. They are one of the main sources of external financial resources for agricultural producers. Development of the agricultural sector in Ukraine requires development of cooperative banks, which can potentially become a main external source of financial resources for the agricultural sector.