DUSHANBE, September 28, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- According to the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), the remainder of loans provided by Tajik banks rose 33.8 percent in a year to September 1, 2011, reaching 4.5 billion somoni (equivalent to more than 950 million U.S. dollars).

Tajik central bank notes that the weighted average interest rate on loans have fallen 1.3 percent over the report period.

Current weighted average interest rate on loans provided in the national currency is 23.1 percent and current weighted average interest rate n loans provided in foreign currency is 22.1 percent.

Over the first eight months of this year, Tajik bank shave provided 1.4 billion somoni in micro loans, which 37.6 percent more than in the same period last year.  Micro loans provided to residents of remote mountain areas over the report period have amounted to 358.5 million somoni, the source said.