I am not quite sure why our savvy farmers are keen to outlay cash for goods or services that they have not received. But it looks like they have woken up as over the last two years these deposits are down. From the 'Trade and Other Payables' (Note 18 AR2019) sections of the respective annual reports.
FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 Deposits Received in Advance $3.589m $3.196m $1.042m
This drop off could be related to the sale of the seed division. It is possible that farmers would be OK with putting up money for seeds in advance, in return for a guarantee of supply on the dates they want. Or perhaps the other retailers of wholesale seeds were the ones putting up the cash in advance? This is just a theory of mine. Perhaps someone who is closer to the farm community on the ground could confirm or deny. Yet the figures in the accounts do not lie If deposits are down by:
$3.589m - $1.042m = $2.547m
and that capital is needed. Then it must be borrowed. A $2.547m reduction in deposits is another brick in the PGW debt wall.
SNOOPY
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