KULOB, May 21, 2009, Asia-Plus — Since the beginning of this year, all bank branches and microlending organizations operating in Khatlon’s Kulob region have provided loans for a total amount of 24,625, 219 somoni, which is almost 25 million somoni fewer than in the same period of last year, the head of the branch of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) in Kulob Abdukarim Nematov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“Felling short of financing the cotton sector last year, banks have switched over to financing commercial enterprises and other sectors,” said Nematov, “Since the beginning of this year, local banks have provided only 11,977,261 somoni in loans for enhancement of the agrarian sector, while last year, they provided some 30 million somoni for development of the agrarian sector.”
According to him, practically all banks in Kulob, including even branches of such stable banks as Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank) and Agroinvestbonk, currently feel an acute shortage of credit resources. “Compared to January-April 2008 Amonatbonk has provided loans 9 million less and Agroinvestbonk 6 million somoni less,” Nematov said.
An opportune repayment of loans has also become a serious problem in the region over the past one-two years. As of May 1, 2009, borrowers owed some 100 million somoni to local banks.
