Can an agri-entrepreneur or startup without farmland apply for AIF?

Yes, agri-entrepreneurs and startups are listed among the eligible borrowers under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, so you do not have to be a landholding farmer to apply. The scheme deliberately includes entrepreneurs, startups, aggregators, marketing players and certain private and public entities, because building post-harvest and farm-gate infrastructure needs more than just farmers. You can borrow for warehouses, cold chain, sorting and grading, primary processing, logistics, e-marketing platforms and similar eligible projects, with the 3 percent interest subvention up to the ceiling and credit guarantee on eligible loans. What matters for an entrepreneur is the business case. The bank will appraise your project viability, your promoter contribution or margin money, your experience or management team, and your security position. You will need a site, owned or on a registered long lease, a solid project report, and the usual KYC and business registration documents. If you are a startup, a clear revenue model and realistic projections matter even more, since you may not have a long track record. Also check whether you can combine AIF with startup or entrepreneurship support schemes for additional help, while avoiding double-claiming the same cost. Confirm the current eligible entity list and any conditions for non-farmer borrowers on the official AIF agriinfra portal or with your lending bank. This is general information and not financial advice.