UK large business lending: agriculture, hunting, forestry
UK large business lending: agriculture, hunting, forestry stood at £4,083m in Aug 2026, according to Bank of England. It is one of the indicators in the Bank lending table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2016 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Bank lending table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lending to large businesses by industry | |||||||||||
| Agriculture, hunting and forestry | 4,083 | 4,003 | 3,944 | 3,878 | 3,679 | 3,554 | 3,400 | 3,422 | 3,336 | 3,209 | |
| Mining and quarrying | 6,150 | 6,840 | 6,770 | 7,018 | 7,117 | 7,865 | 6,469 | 5,792 | 5,718 | 5,529 |
Understanding UK large business lending: agriculture, hunting, forestry
Registered banking entities record the aggregate value of capital outstanding from large corporate borrowers within agriculture, hunting, and forestry across the United Kingdom, stated in GBP million. This series tracks credit supplied to major farming enterprises, commercial forestry operators, and related agricultural service corporations meeting large business size thresholds. It excludes lending to smaller family farms, rural households, and downstream food processing manufacturers. Industrial categorisation is assigned according to the primary operational activity of the borrowing corporate entity.
When reviewing these statistics, analysts should factor in the deeply seasonal nature of agricultural financing, which follows crop cycles, harvest periods, and subsidy payment schedules. Early estimates are prone to revision as banks update corporate classifications and process delayed loan returns. Year-on-year comparisons offer a more reliable gauge of underlying credit trends by neutralising seasonal harvesting peaks and troughs. Users should avoid comparing this series directly with manufacturing or retail credit, given the unique asset base and working capital profile of large-scale farming.
Frequently asked questions
- Which enterprises are captured in large business agricultural lending?
- The series measures credit extended to major corporate farming, hunting, and forestry businesses meeting large enterprise thresholds.
- Does this data cover smaller family-run farms?
- No, smaller agricultural holdings are excluded and captured instead under SME lending categories.
- How do seasonal cycles affect these figures?
- Crop production, harvest timings, and annual subsidy receipts create predictable seasonal swings in borrowing demand.