KULOB, April 20, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- By April 18, the branch of Agroinvestbonk in Kulob has provided 2.376 million somoni (TJS) in loans to local farming units for this year’s cotton campaign, the head of Agroinvestbonk’s branch in Kulob Sayfiddin Qadamov said.

According to him, they received the first 1.5 million somoni of the government credit for cotton farmers on April 13.

“The funds have been distributed to 121 cotton-growing farms in the region that have already paid off last year’s loans,” Qadamov said, noting that they have received the cotton loan applications for 9.79 million somoni from 195 farming units so far.

He added that this year, the bank would give preference to small and medium-sized farming units.