Japan will disburse the third instalment of the grant for implementing the Programme of Support and Development of small business and for promoting structural economic reforms. The amount of the instalment is of approximately USD 2.5 mln. The agreement on providing this instalment has been signed recently by Minister of Economy and Commerce Igor Dodon and Ambassador of Japan in Moldova Mutsuo Mabuchi. The Programme of Support and Development of small business is being implemented in Moldova since 2005 and has the objective to facilitate the purchase of the technical equipment for small business enterprises. In 2005-2006 the Japanese Government granted about USD 5.8 mln, within two instalments. The final instalment of USD 3.3 mln is planned for 2007. During the past two years, the Programme assisted 43 small and medium sized enterprises that purchased different types of equipment worth USD 4.5 mln. At present 37 units of equipment of about USD 3.3 mln were delivered to the beneficiaries. The equipment purchased within the Programme is offered to economic entities through a one-year lease (without pledge and interest). The participant enterprises are exempted from paying 40% from the total cost of the purchased equipment if they pay the 60% part in the established period. All the acquisitions obtained from the Programme are procured by the British Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations Limited. The supplies mainly come from countries like China, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Netherlands and Russia. The equipment is bought for different types of enterprises such as processing of meat, dairy products, cereals, poultry farming, textiles etc.