KHUJAND, March 25, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Sughd banks are slow in providing loans to local farming units that may seriously affect crop harvests in the province, Asia-Plus has leaned from a source at the Sughd main agriculture directorate.

“Farmers have complained about delays in consideration of loan applications by banks,” said the source, “As of March 12, 2010, local banks concluded loan contracts with farming units for 648,000 somoni; however, they have provided only 302,000 somoni by March 20.”

Meanwhile, farmers need to prepare agricultural machines for sowing campaign and purchase mineral fertilizers, he said.

“Some of these banks have been engaged in lending money to farming units for already three years and it is about time they knew which clients are reliable and which not,” the source said.