DUSHANBE, July 9, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- On Tuesday July 8, Minister of Agriculture Qosim Qosimov met with visiting Chief Economist at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Mr. Rabbih Mattar, to discuss cooperation issues. Narzullo Dadaboyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), said.

According to him, in the course of the talks, the two discussed issues related to intention of the IDB to provide $1.2 million in a form of grant to Tajikistan for purchase of 1,000 tons of seed grains.

The results of survey conducted by specialists from a MoA jointly with representatives from the UN FAO CO in Tajikistan have shown that damage caused to the country’s agrarian sector by the past difficult winter is estimated at 350 million somonis, the spokesman said.  He added that particularly severe damage had been inflicted to winter grain crops. 

“Damage caused to the winter grain crops is estimated at more than 70 million somonis,” Dadaboyev said. 

The spokesman said that the MoA had prepared a proposal on delivery of grains and agricultural machines and implementation of the program for enhancement of infrastructure of the agrarian supply for total amount of more than $400 million.  

We will recall that Mr. Rabbih Mattar heading IDB’s delegation arrived in Dushanbe on July 7 for a four-day working visit.  The same day, the IDB delegation held talks with Minister of Economic Development and trade Ghulomjon Bobozoda to discuss cooperation issues.  

As it had been reported earlier, another IDB delegation is supposed to arrive in the country in two months to discuss with Tajik officials issues related to providing medium- and long-term loans to Tajikistan.