DUSHANBE, March 10, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Tuesday March 10, President Emomali Rahmon presided over the meeting reviewing the results of the first two months of this year, according to presidential press service.

The meeting participants included prime minister, senior representatives from president’s office, presidential state advisers, heads of a number of ministries and departments as well as top managers of large industrial enterprises.

The meeting considered the country’s economic results over the first two months of the year as well as ways to mitigate effects of the global financial crisis.

Speaking at the meeting, Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov noted that gross domestic product (GDP) for January-February 2009 had stood at 1.909 billion somoni, which was 3.9 percent more than in the same period of last year.

Rahmon expressed dissatisfaction with the course of implementation of the national budget and poor operation of industrial and energy facilities in January-February this year.

Agriculture Minister Qosim Qosimov reported on the state of the agrarian sector.  The president demanded at the meeting that the ministry should take adequate measures to ensure implementation of investment projects and properly carrying out the spring sowing campaign.  He also urged to increase amounts of small loans provided to farmers in remote mountain areas, the press service said.