ANZ extends drought assistance package further

ANZ Bank has extended its drought assistance package to include farmers affected by extreme dry weather across the North Island and parts of the South Island.

The Government declared a state of drought across the North Island along with Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura, North Canterbury and the Chatham Islands on Thursday.

This follows the Government’s previous announcements declaring drought conditions in Northland in February, and parts of the Waikato and Auckland in early March. ANZ has been working with impacted local farmers since.

ANZ will provide an Assistance Package that offers impacted customers the ability to discuss options with their ANZ relationship manager. Options include:

• Applying for short-term funding to help farmers manage unexpected costs arising from extreme weather.

• Suspending or reducing loan principal repayments.

• Considering waiving the notice period and removing any interest rate recovery costs associated with accessing Term Deposit funds early if a customer needs to under hardship circumstances.

• Waiving fees associated with restructuring business loans considered necessary due to impacts of extreme weather.

• Waiving fees for term finance and investments which have the potential to improve performance and the ability to respond to climatic variation in future years.

ANZ’s extended Assistance Package takes effect for eligible customers from 13 March 2020. Terms and conditions, and ANZ lending criteria apply.

ANZ customers can contact their Relationship Manager or telephone our Commercial & Agri Service team on 0800 212 269 to find out more.

For media enquiries contact: Siobhan Enright 021 991 325

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