Eligibility for the NIWE Primary Producer Finance Scheme

The Scheme was only available to severely impacted land-based primary producers unable to secure further lending from their bank or other usual lender without government support. 

To be eligible for finance under the Scheme, businesses had to provide the following evidence:

  • the business had incurred losses of 30% or more of uninsurable productive capacity because of the North Island Weather Events
  • the business was a producing land-based primary sector entity, located partially or wholly in at least one the following regions: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Hawke's Bay, Tararua, Wairarapa
  • the business’ loss of viability was a result of the weather events, and not a pre-existing issue
  • the business had a prospect of returning to viability within the term of the loan (for example, restored positive cash flow)
  • the business had sought and would not receive lending from commercial lender(s), or source of capital of choice, or the business did not have access to sufficient capital through other means (for example, through the business balance sheet capacity) without government support
  • the business took steps ahead of the event to mitigate or avoid losses, such as insuring assets where there were readily available insurance products
  • the business was committed to improve resilience to similar risks in the future, such as flood risks.