Credits for Export

Monday, December 24, 2018  15:22

The biggest difficulty for exporters, especially small and medium ones, is capital shortage for doing business. Dealing with this issue not only depends on enterprises or credit institutions, but also needs comprehensive solutions coordinated by many ministries and solutions for capital market development.

Fund and credit for effective export
Export credit and fund is understood as a medium and long-term loan used to finance projects and to provide funds for export activities. At present capital, export credit has been developed in various forms to bring positive outcomes for foreign trade.
For businesses: Having enough fund and credit will help them survive and sustain themselves in the market mechanism, expand production and business, create jobs, reduce unemployment and fulfil tax obligations to the State Budget.

For authorities, this source of fund and credit will help national economic development programmes and projects and expand external relations with other countries in the world
According to the World Bank's Doing Business Report 2018, Vietnam's access to credit in 2018 was ranked 29th among 190 economies. Over the past time, business operations account for a rising share of capital and credit. Many business and export credit support programmes have been launched, including loans for settlement of difficulties in livestock farming and aquaculture (rescheduling 24-month repayment term and providing new short-term loans bearing an interest rate of 7 per cent per annum; credit policies for troubled shrimp and catfish farmers (rescheduled to a maximum of 36 months).

In addition, credit institutions actively balance capital sources to meet lending demand and reduce deposit interest rates to support export. Most banks in Vietnam are actively carrying out preferential export credit packages. Many lenders also deploy multi-utility export financing packages and enterprises can borrow up to 90 per cent of contract value or be financed to buy raw materials until they receive payment from foreign partners. Some banks have special export support policies such as Eximbank, Saigon - Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB); Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank) or Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB Bank).
Some forms of trade finance offered by commercial joint stock banks like lending in the form of L/C payment, lending in the form of collection document, or treasury-based lending. Other forms of trade finance include full ad partial factoring, hire purchase credit, credit guarantee and re-guarantee.
However, in fact, many enterprises, especially small and medium ones, face difficulty in mobilising funds for import and export. Statistics by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) showed that up to 60 per cent of enterprises have yet to access loans.
Positively, the credit supply in the economy is forecast to further grow in 2018, not only from bank loans but also from capital markets, helping boost production, business and export growth. Businesses need to actively grasp these opportunities to grow their business and expand their consumption markets.

How to access loans?
Capital and credit are considered important to ensure exporters’ operations, thus helping them raise their capital efficiency, form their optimal capital structure and focus funds for production and improve competitiveness. To gain successful access to loans, they should note the following:

First, they need to create trust for credit institutions and increase the transparency of their operations. This will help them enhance their creditability to credit institutions because they want to access credit capital or loans or call funds from domestic and foreign investors. To do this, they must make their information transparent.
Specifically, they must regularly review financial criteria, such as financial independence, solvency, profitability, performance, effective borrowing plan and profit distribution. To access loans, financial criteria must reach the minimum safe level as prescribed. When financial operations are transparent, not only will credit institutions reduce the time to assess clients and make loan decisions faster, but also help them quickly identify potential risks to take effective handling measures. 

Second, they should develop and apply appropriate management models suitable for their characteristics and scale. In addition, exporters also need to quickly address limitations of risk management, financial management and strategic management. This not only facilitates them to access capital and credit, but also use resources effectively and improve corporate competitiveness.

Third, they need to work with credit institutions, manage their operations, strategies and financial affairs. They need to prepare and be familiar with banking conditions concerning uniformity and consistence of financial data.

Fourth, they need to actively grasp information, share information, act with openness and willingness with banks to reschedule repayment terms and access new funds.

Besides, for their part, banks should design products tailored for enterprises and develop appropriate appraisal methods. In addition, it is necessary to provide more services such as consultancy, training and information support for customers. When both sides are active in information and connectivity, it is easier for them to meet and approach each other.