Volume 2 - Issue 1, January - February 2026

This article analyzes the impact of the Bank of Indochina’s (BIC) credit system on the structural transformation of the agricultural economy in colonial Cochinchina. Drawing on BIC’s annual reports and archival sources, the study demonstrates that credit flows not only accelerated large-scale land reclamation but also served as a pivotal factor in the emergence of the plantation economy and the great landlord class. The paper elucidates the operational mechanisms of direct credit provided to rubber plantations in Eastern Cochinchina and indirect credit channeled through Mutual Agricultural Credit Societies in the West. The findings confirm that the BIC’s credit system successfully transitioned Cochinchina’s agriculture from traditional subsistence to an export-oriented commodity economy, while simultaneously establishing a profound dependence of indigenous agriculture on French finance capital.

Dr.Duong To Quoc Thai, Van Kieu Diem,"Impact of the Bank of Indochina’s Credit System on the Structural Transformation of Agricultural Economy in Colonial Cochinchina" International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Development, V2(1): Page(786-791) Jan-Feb 2026. ISSN: 3107-6513. www.ijamred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.