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Keep South Canterbury in perspective: NZIER chief economist

Tuesday 31st of August 2010

"Farm debt in New Zealand is $47 billion, on a total farming business of around $120 billion," he said. South Canterbury's liabilities, at $1.6 billion, were equivalent to just 3.4% of total farm lending, and just 1.3% of national farm assets.

By comparison, SCF's $1.6 billion in total liabilities - and a likely net Crown exposure of perhaps $700 million - was less of an economic shock than the high profile of the issue might imply, Eaqub said.

"We need to keep this in context, relative to the stock of debt. For the local economy, particularly around Canterbury and Timaru, this will have some big financial and confidence impacts.

"But it's the confidence aspect that's important, and the potential loss of confidence through to investing in general that I worry about. I don't think there needs to be," Eaqub said.

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