KULOB, February 14, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Branches of commercial banks and microfinance organizations operating in Khatlon’s Kulob region provided 7,004,502 million somoni in loans last month, which is 828,000 somoni fewer than in January 2010, Abdurakim Nematov, the head of the branch of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) in Kulob, said.

According to him, three branches of Orienbonk, which is Tajikistan’s largest commercial bank, did not provide loans last month at all, while of ten branches of Tajprombank in the region, only two branches, operating in Kulob and Hamadoni districts, provided 207,000 somoni in loans last month.  In 2010, Tajprombank’s branches provided 1.287 million in loans to local enterprises and entrepreneurs.

“In the meantime, the First MicroFinanceBank of Tajikistan (FMFB-T) last month provided loans nearly 700,000 somoni more than in January 2010, but major part of these loans were provided to farming units and physical entities in seven districts of the Qurghon Teppa region (Vakhsh Valley) of Khatlon province,” Nematov noted.

He added that 45.5 percent of loans provided last month went to supporting enhancement of the agrarian sector and 36.7 percent went to supporting development of commerce and private entrepreneurship.  The industrial, communications and construction sectors received 8.5 percent of loans provided in January 2011.