KULOB, April 19, Asia-Plus  -- TojikSodirotBonk (TSB) supports enhancement of agrarian sector in the Kulob region of Khatlon by providing loans to local farming units.

Abdukarim Nematov, the head of the TSB branch in Kulob, noted that over the first quarter of 2007 the bank had provided loans for a total amount of 2.305 million somonis to entities in the Kulob region, which is 440,000 somonis more than in the same period of last year.

He noted that the main attention is paid to the agrarian sector.  “Farming units over the report period have received 241,000 somonis in loans, which is more than industrial and construction sectors have received,” said Nematov, “The industrial sector has received loans for a total of 150,000 somonis and the construction sector has received 189,000 somonis in loans.” 

Over the same three-month period, physical entities have received loans for 1.24 million somonis, including 707,400 somonis provided under the Tajikistan Micro and Small Finance Facility (TMSEF) program of the European Bank Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the TSB branch head said, adding that loans under the TMSEF program were provided to 73 persons.

TSB was established in December 1990 as the Tajik branch of the Vnesh Econom Bank of the former Soviet Union, and it initially specialized in trade and import-export banking.  Later this branch was reorganized into a Joint-Stock Commercial Bank “Tajikvnesheconombank”. In June 1999 the bank was renamed and registered as TojikSodirotBonk or TSB.

Headquartered in Dushanbe, TSB has 9 branches in the main cities of Tajikistan and covering all regions of the country.  Its clients include the biggest Tajik trading companies, other enterprises, entrepreneurs, and some of the embassies and diplomatic organizations based in Dushanbe.