QRIDA – Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loans: Primary Producers

This program seeks to support communities to recover after an eligible disaster. It provides concessional loans to primary producers who have suffered a significant loss of income as a result of an eligible disaster.

Loans of up to $100,000 are available.

The amount available is based on an assessment of an applicant’s financial position, including any amount recovered under an insurance policy; and cannot be more than the amount of essential working capital reasonably required.

The term of the loan is decided by QRIDA up to a maximum of ten years. An interest only period of up to two years may be granted.

There are no establishment fees, account maintenance fees and fees for early payout. The current interest rate is 1.37%.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the initial annual interest rates of each defined disaster areas activated concessional loans.

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:
- The applicant must be a primary producer.
- Before the eligible disaster, the applicant carried on a primary production enterprise in the defined disaster area.
- The applicant has suffered a significant loss of income as a result of the eligible disaster.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements

Eligible activities must be used as essential working capital, such as:
- Paying salaries or wages
- Paying creditors
- Paying rent or rates
- Buying goods, for example – fuel essential to carry-on the primary production enterprise
- Buying fodder or water for livestock or produce
- Transporting livestock or produce

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Compensate for loss of income suffered as a result of the disaster.
- Provide assistance relating to direct damage suffered as a result of the disaster.