(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, November 17. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tajikistan continued to see expanding access to bank financing in 2024.

The data obtained by Trend from the 2025 edition of the Asia Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Monitor (ASM) published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) shows that outstanding SME loans reached $315.4 million in 2024, up from $267.7 million in 2023, marking a 17.6 percent increase. SME loans accounted for 17.5 percent of total bank lending and 1.9 percent of GDP. Nonperforming loans (NPLs) remained relatively low at 3.3 percent of total SME loans, compared with 3.5 percent in 2023.

In terms of sectoral distribution, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries accounted for the largest share of SME lending, representing 42.5 percent, followed by services at 22.7 percent, international trade at 15.8 percent, and manufacturing at 6.6 percent. Lending to the construction, transport, and catering sectors comprised smaller proportions of the total.

The report highlights that bank financing continues to serve as a critical driver for SME development, particularly in the agriculture, trade, and services sectors, thereby bolstering employment and stimulating economic activity across Tajikistan.

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