The interest rates for these loans were 4% lower than that of commercial loans. The preferential support lasts for at most 12 months (Tran and Dinh, 2014a). Just over one million farmers borrowed VND 776 billion (USD 40.8 million) under the programme during 2009 and another VND 147 billion (USD 7.7 million) was lent to 6 424 farmers in the first four months of 2010.