DUSHANBE, December 17, 2011, Asia-Plus – Local authorities of Russia’s Novgorod and Leningrad oblasts have allotted some 600 hectares of farmlands to the St. Petersburg Society for Friendship between Tajik and Russian Peoples, Somoniyon, for development, Tajik Honorary Consul in St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast, Muhammadnazar Mirzoda, told Asia-Plus in an interview on December 17.
According to him, the farmlands are allotted for a long-term use under the minimum rental fee. “They are going to launch farming units there next spring,” said Mirzoda. “These farms will be engaged in cattle raising as well as fruit and vegetable growing.”
Dozens of Tajik labor migrants will work with these farms, he noted, adding that Tajik entrepreneurs have already launched a number of meat and dairy enterprises in Leningrad oblast in recent years.
“Tajik labor migrants arriving in St. Petersburg may take a loan of 15,000 Russian rubles for execution of registration and employment papers,” said Mirzoda. “Russlavbank offers such loans for six months under low interest rates.”
According to data from Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS)’s office for St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast, some 150,000 Tajik labor migrants are currently working in the region and nearly half of them are working illegally.
