Fundraising

Agri Investor looks back at 12 agenda-setting stories from throughout the year.

Chief executive Perry Vieth says LPs in the targeted $25m first close for Ceres Sustainable Food and Agriculture Opportunity Fund II will be offered reduced management and incentive fees.

AAM managing director Garry Edwards said that investors were looking for experienced managers with a strong record in agriculture, which has been “difficult to access” for some investors.

Thor Talseth’s Neptune will invest across the aquaculture value chain and has four acquisitions in the pipeline due to close in H1 2020.

Despite the inherent risks global investors face when trying to tap into Asia’s agri-food sector, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to avoid the continent during the next decade.

The two investors have each committed A$8m to the first fund raised by Tenacious Ventures, billed as Australia’s first agtech-focused venture capital fund.

The Brisbane-headquartered fund manager is launching a diversified ag fund for the first time, following on from the success of three single-asset funds in poultry, cattle and softwood.

The Frutas Fund will initially invest in Citri&Co and Frutas Esther and could make acquisitions to expand their global presence and product range.

WA Impact Fund, which represents WA Super’s first foray into both agriculture and impact investing, will have regenerative agriculture as one of its four investment strategies.

Steve Jarrott joins Warakirri from Westchester, where he was Australian portfolio manager, to oversee its latest diversified ag fund.