OREANDA-NEWS. July 22, 2008. SME loam portfolio of the Russian Bank for Development has increased by 22% in the first half 2008 to reach RUR 7,5 billion, reported the press-centre of RBD.

The total limit designated for this type of business within the framework of implementation of the corporate strategy of the State Corporation “Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)” pertaining to SME lending support in 2008 amounts to RUR  9 billion.
 
“Taking into consideration the current growth of this parameter we have all reasons to believe that the designated limit will be exceeded by the year end”, considers Sergey Krjukov, Chairman of the Managing Board of RBD, clarifying that artificially of July 1, 2008 the Bank has set SME lending limits to 72 regional banks – participants of the RBD’s program. “Moreover over thirty banks are presently under consideration”, he adds.
 
According to the head of RBD, the growing rate of SME lending support indicates that “the earlier estimated parameters can now be considered as a minimal level”.