Porto Alegre, 11/6/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazilian farmers are going to have access to an additional R$1 billion in loans from the Brazilian Development Bank (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) (BNDES) for the purchase of tractors, harvesters and other farm equipment. According to Conceição Keller, a department head at the BNDES, the decision to make additional funding available was made in response to intense demand for it.

The additional funding will be allocated to the government's farm sector equipment modernizing program, Moderfrota, which makes loans at interest of 13.95% annually for up to five years. (AB)