for the year ended 30 September 2014
By ensuring our lending portfolio contains a spread across countries in different risk categories, we balance the desire for our share capital to reach those who need it most with the need to avoid placing our members’ capital at excessive risk. To make this analysis we use Coface, a French credit insurer, who on a quarterly basis publishes its assessments of country risk for 157 countries with an evaluation made on economic, financial and political data. Their categories are:
Category
Risk assessment
A
The political and economic outlook can vary between very good and somewhat shaky. The business environment is relatively stable although volatility may affect corporate payment behaviour. Corporate default probability is more than acceptable on average.
B
The business environment is mediocre. The availability and the reliability of corporate financial information vary widely. Debt collection can sometimes be difficult. The institutional framework has a few troublesome weaknesses. Inter-company transactions run appreciable risks in the unstable, largely inefficient environment.
C
The business environment is difficult. Corporate financial information is often unavailable and when available often unreliable. Debt collection is unpredictable. The institutional framework has many troublesome weaknesses. Inter-company transactions run major risks in a difficult environment.
D
The business environment is very difficult. Corporate financial information is rarely available and when available usually unreliable. The legal system makes debt collection very unpredictable. The institutional framework has very serious weaknesses. Inter-company transactions can thus be very difficult to manage in the highly risky environment.
Amounts committed to producer groups in each risk category
£25,000,000 7% £20,000,000 2% 27%
£15,000,000 £10,000,000
£5,000,000
18% 8%
14% 14% 5%
49% 67%
11% 12% 5%
72%
24% 9%
D C
6%
B 65%
60%
A
25% £0 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Our diversification away from coffee has increased our committed lending exposure in higher risk countries. For example we have increased our lending in tea resulting in increased lending in Uganda (C) and we have increased our lending in cocoa which has resulted in increased exposure in Ivory Coast (D). Additionally Nicaragua was re-categorised from D to C meaning that the limit on our exposure increases according to our prudential limits. There were always opportunities in Nicaragua but we were restricted because we had reached the limit of lending in that country, however since Nicaragua was re-categorised we have in the last 12 months been able to increase our exposure.