DUSHANBE, October 21, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- In a report released in Dushanbe, the head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), Sharif Rahimzoda, revealed on October 21 that the remainder of loans provided by Tajik banks rose 2.0 percent in nine months to October 1, 2010, reaching 5.8 billion somoni (equivalent to more than 1.32 billion U.S. dollars).

In the structure of the remainder, a share of loans provided in the national currency, the somoni, was 70.2 percent, while the share of loans provided in foreign currencies was 29.8 percent.

In January-September 2001, local banks have provided 3.5 billion somoni (nearly US$800,000) in loans, which is 25 percent more than in the same period last year.  

“Over the report period, an average term for loans provided to physical entities was 364 days and the average term for loans provided to legal entities was 307 days,” said Rahimzoda, “The weighted average interest rate for loans provided in the national currency was 21.41 percent and the weighted average interest rate for loans provided in foreign currencies was 22.32 percent.”

The Tajik central bank head noted that volumes of small loans rose 8.2 percent in nine months to October 1, 2010, reaching 1.3279 billion somoni.

14 banks and 124 non-bank financial institutions now operate n Tajikistan.