Inputs

Chief executive Mike Steffeck says this first acquisition since Paine Schwartz’s 2022 investment positions the Jacksonville company for growth into other biostimulant markets.

Pricing pressures and elevated costs have contributed to a sharp decline in returns among permanent cropping assets.

Partners Carlos Sanz and Rupprecht Pranckh discuss how the London-headquartered firm has built up its specialization in biological inputs and farmer productivity since 2017.

Modelling suggests the Australian government’s move to restore river health in the Murray-Darling Basin could also drive up water prices by 7.2%.

The senior director expects 2025 to bring an acceleration in irrigated agriculture, more deals arising from farming families exiting the industry and closer relationships with investors.

The country is not alone in observing subdued growth in farmland values and annual cropping outperforming its permanent counterpart, as these trends take hold in the US too.

Kempen portfolio manager Tim van den Pol says most of the growth will come through existing assets, with further acquisitions in new countries possible.

Mekong Enterprise Fund IV is nearing full deployment across a diverse range of investments, including in the regenerative agriculture space through biochar fertilizer company Husk.

With government water buybacks hanging over the market, investors have been striking early to secure entitlements before prices inevitably rise.

The Aither Entitlement Index has declined due to economic pressures, although prices could be set to rise as the government purchases water through its voluntary scheme.