KHUJAND, August 14, 2009, Asia-Plus — Over the first seven months of this year, banks and microfinance organizations operating in the Sughd province have provided 21.1 million somoni in loans to local farming units for cotton growing and harvesting campaign, which 24.6 million somoni fewer than in the same period of last year, according to the branch o the National bank of Tajikistan (NBT) in Khujand.
In January-July 2008, branches of commercial banks and microfinance organizations in the province provided 45.7 million somoni in cotton loans to local farmers.
This year, loans have been provided mainly by the branches of Agroinvestbonk and Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank) in the province. Agroinvestbonk’s branches have provided 7.6 million somoni and Amonatbonk’s branches have provided 10.3 million somoni. Besides, the Khujand-based Eskhata Bank has provided 2.1 million somoni in loans to local cotton farmers and the remainder has been provided by local microfinance organizations.
