12 April 2025, 17:12

Amount of loans issued to SMEs in Belarus up by 39.5% in January-February 2025

An archive photo

MINSK, 12 April (BelTA) – The amount of loans issued to small and medium-sized businesses in the first two months of 2025 increased by almost 40%, Deputy Director of the Entrepreneurship Department of the Economy Ministry Ruslan Neverovich told the First News Channel commenting on the SME loan portfolio in January - February 2025, BelTA reports.

In the first two months of 2025, small and medium-sized businesses received loans worth Br11.5 billion, up by 39.5% year-on-year. The share of such loans in the total volume of lending exceeded 44%, the highest in the past ten years.

According to the Economy Ministry official, a significant part of this amount (more than 70%) was issued to small organizations and individual entrepreneurs, the rest to medium-sized businesses. Most of the recipients represent such economic sectors as manufacturing, agriculture, construction, transport and trade.

“With the entry into force of Law No. 365-Z “On Amendments to laws on entrepreneurial activity”, additional conditions for boosting business activity have been created in the country, new financial support instruments have been introduced and the range of its recipients has been expanded. These measures will contribute to the rise of new industries and, as a result, an increase in the contribution of businesses to the country's economy,” noted Ruslan Neverovich.

The deputy director of the Entrepreneurship Department told the journalists what projects and areas of work have the biggest chance of receiving financing support from the state, as well as about cooperation between private companies and industrial enterprises and expectations regarding the emergence of new commercial organizations.