Rabobank’s shaky loans up 35% on nitrogen emissions cut plans

Bank says Dutch government proposal to reduce pollution from livestock farming risks making loans unviable

Rabobank’s stock of stage-two exposures – those tagged for higher risk of default – jumped 35% in the first half of the year, after Dutch government plans to cut noxious nitrogen emissions from livestock farming threatened the viability of the bank’s loans to the sector.

In early June, the Dutch government laid out a road map to clamp down on nitrogen oxide emissions by incentivising farms to reduce cattle stock by 95%, and pig, chicken and turkey farms by 80%.

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