DUSHANBE, June 22, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The national budget for this year earmarks 90 million somoni for development of the agrarian sector, Temourali Afghonov, an official with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“To-date, 80 million somoni from that amount has already been allocated,” said Afghonov, “This money will be given to cotton-growing, gardening and livestock farms in the form of loans.”

According to him, the loans will be provided through commercial banks at 10 percent annual interest.

“The ministry is currently considering loan applications lodged by commercial banks and after that loan agreements will be signed with the banks,” Afghonov added.

We will recall that in 2008-2010, the government provided 430 million somoni in loans to farming units through Agroinvestbonk, Orienbonk, Tojik Sodirot Bonk (TSB), Bonki Rushdi Tojikiston (Tajikistan Development Bank), Tajprombank, Eskhata Bank and Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings banks).

In 2008, the government gave a 140 million somoni credit, in 2009 – 180 million somoni and in 2010 – 110 million somoni.