KULOB, January 5, 2008, Asia-Plus — In 2008, the branch of Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank) in Khatlon’s Muminobod district provided 1.552 million somoni in loans, which is nearly two times more than in the same period of the previous year, the head of Amonatbonk’s branch in Muminobod Shodi Mirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“Some 72 percent of loans were provided to support development of farming units in the district,” said Mirov, “We try to attract small agricultural organizations through providing them loans at annual interest rate of 7 percent. Last year, we provided 370,000 somoni in such preferential loans.” According to him, small agricultural organizations apply mainly for loans of not more than 5,000 somoni, and therefore, the bank does not have any problems with return of such loans.
“Last year, we do not have problems with return of even loans that had been provided at the annual interest rate of 24 and 36 percent,” Mirov said, noting that their branch’s net profit last year amounted to 83,000 somoni, which was three times more than in 2007.
