Wednesday, 29 March 2017 07:55

Now to pay it back with interest

Written by 
John Wilson. John Wilson.

Fonterra farmers who borrowed money from the co-op during the last two seasons will soon learn how much interest will be charged from June 1.

The co-op still has $370 million in loans outstanding.

Chairman John Wilson says farmers were told they would have to start paying back the loan once the payout exceeded $6/kgMS; interest will be charged from June 1. He says the co-op will tell them the rate in the coming weeks.

“We will use the strength of the co-op to ensure the interest rate is appropriate.”

Wilson believes the loans were a “good fill-up at the time” for cash-strapped farmers.

Meanwhile directors and management will hold 36 meetings with shareholders this week, to brief farmers on the co-op’s half-year results and the global dairy outlook.

More like this

Fonterra trims board size

Fonterra’s board has been reduced to nine - comprising six farmer-elected and three appointed directors.

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

LCAs tackle false narratives

The quest to measure, report and make sense of the energy that goes into food production has come a long way in the past 25 years.

Featured

Fonterra trims board size

Fonterra’s board has been reduced to nine - comprising six farmer-elected and three appointed directors.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter