Vegans Nightmare: A third of global farmland at ‘high’ pesticide pollution risk
According to new research, a third of the planet’s agricultural land is at “high risk” of pesticide pollution from the lingering residue of chemical ingredients that can leach into water supplies and threaten biodiversity. According to research published Monday, a third of the planet’s agricultural land is at “high risk” of pesticide pollution from the lingering residue of chemical ingredients that can leach into water supplies and threaten biodiversity. The use of pesticides…
Chile leads Latin America in global competitiveness
Chile’s National Evaluation and Productivity Commission will conduct a new study to assess priority sectoral permits for investment in order to propose substantial improvements in their efficiency, predictability, and stability. The National Evaluation and Productivity Commission (CNEP) received a new mandate from the Government of Chile to analyze priority sectoral permits for investment, identify barriers in the process, and propose efficiency, predictability, and stability improvements. This study aims…
Disappointing Chilean Wine Harvest 2023 (for wine growers)
(Very) Low prices for grapes grown for wine and an early harvest will be the keynote of this 2023 vintage, still in evolution, for a large part of the more than 130,000 planted hectares. Due to the lack of post-Covid reactivation in many countries, mainly China and Europe, high world stocks of wine have accumulated. This has led to Chile’s most extensive wine inventory since it was recorded with 1,400 MM litres (88% with D.O.) (Appellation of Origen or D.O. ODEPA, Wines of Chile). On the other hand, extremely…
Investing in agriculture for 2023
Hardy investors are seeking new ways to grow their money. IN THE next 40 years, humans will need to produce more food than they did in the previous 10,000 put together. But with sprawling cities gobbling up arable land, agricultural productivity gains decreasing, and demand for biofuels increasing, supply is not keeping up with demand. Clever farmers, scientists and entrepreneurs are bursting with ideas. But they need money to make this jump. Financiers more often found buying and selling companies have cottoned…
How does Chile’s measure land values using different currency mechanisms ?
Chile measures land values using different currency mechanisms This post introduces a modern example of medium-unit divergence: the Chilean peso and Chile’s Unidad de Fomento or UF Like most modern currencies, the peso is issued by the nation’s central bank, the Banco Central de Chile. Local banks offer peso-denominated cheques and savings accounts. Chileans use these pesos as the nation’s medium of exchange. They pay their bills with pesos, settle rent, and buy food. The differences…
Horticultural Opportunities in Latin America
In Latin America, between forests, high mountains, mountain ranges and deserts, arable farmland is not necessarily abundant, particularly when adding pressure from urban growth and a lack of water in many agricultural regions. The problem of land scarcity lies in its distribution, sustainability, and climate change, which will require better management of irrigation, logistic chains, and food storage, such as applied technology, so that productivity and yields per hectare do not drop. Therefore, it is possible…
Are Performance Fees Fair for Syndicate Investors?
The Argument Against Performance Fees If fund managers and syndicate managers do not outperform their benchmark, they continue to get their standard fee, even if they have to forego their performance fee. We like performance, but we do not like performance fees. There are fund managers, who charge a fee for management, but then on top of that, they charge another fee if they get returns above a certain level. We object to these “performance fees”. Some fund managers will say they should have a performance…
A Chilean Patagonia Pioneer Farmers Story
In 1903 there was an interest on the part of the Chilean government to facilitate the colonisation of isolated areas of Chile. Efforts had already been made, among others, with German colonisation in the southern area, today called the area of the lakes districts. These early settlers had already formed their capitals with agriculture and local commerce. Mr Hube and Mr Achelis stand out in our story as prosperous merchants who began to move between the area of Puerto Montt in Chile and Bariloche…
A FOREIGNER’S GUIDE FOR BUYING FARMLAND IN CHILE
A FOREIGNERS GUIDE FOR BUYING FARMLAND IN CHILE Maybe you visited Chile as a tourist and fell in love with the country, or perhaps you are aware of its strategies to become a global food supplier. Now you are considering buying some farmland there. Congratulations! Apart from mining, Chile has unique soil and climate advantages for agricultural exploitation and food production. Spread along 2500+ miles on the Southwestern Pacific Coast of South America, Chile encompasses all climate…
Warren Buffett’s partner Charlie Munger’s thoughts on successful investment practise
Warren Buffett, the world’s most significant investor, added two short sentences to Charlie Munger’s list that have been his decision-clinchers for decades, “Warren, think more about it. You’re smart, and I’m right.” Warren Buffett talked about his long-time friend and business partner, Charlie Munger, in his annual letter to the investors that was published along with Berkshire Hathaway’s annual report. Warren Buffett listed a few of Munger’s thoughts. He advised investors, “Find…
Climate Changes starts to bite in the nut industries
The influence of climate and weather on human societies is already apparent to the world’s rural populations: inclement weather can result in failed harvests, higher food prices, unrest, and unrest leading to revolutions. Syria is a good example. The increasing effect of climate change should be a warning to all agricultural investors. This is doubly true for climate-sensitive tree crops, most notably almonds, considered the cannery in the coal mine. Almond trees: fragile flowers Almonds are the fragile flower…
Chile’s Colorful Agriculture of the South
For many years the Araucanía region of Southern Chile has been characterized as the breadbasket of Chile due to the cultivation of cereals and industrial crops typical of the area. Rape oilseed is a plant that, when in Bloom, dazzles with its yellow colour. It is a crop that has been strengthened and whose demand is increasing due to the recovery of the salmon industry and the incorporation of canola oil in the daily feeding of people. The current challenge of improving competitiveness leads to incorporating…
The 10 most important rules for investing in agriculture favour South America
Rule 1. Only invest in investor-friendly countries: Agricultural investments require a medium to long-term view. A typical investment in mainstream agriculture will require 70-80% of your investment to go into the land. There is no need to add to these risks by going into countries where you put your capital at risk. This rules out most of Africa, Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. Rule 2. Countries with low, preferably no, subsidies for agriculture. Subsidies can be alluring because they can be seen as underwriting…
Puerto Varas or Little Germany
It could be a Little Germany Puerto Varas and its surrounding rolling farmland treat you to breathtaking views of valleys, vineyards, productive farms and, of course, the volcanoes. Most of you know that the most active volcano, the 6,500-foot Calbuco, erupted again after 50 years of inactivity. Fortunately for Chileans and unfortunately for Argentines, the Westerly winds blow most of the Ash over Argentina, leaving this beautiful town unaffected. Those villages closer to the epicentre are not so lucky. Strolling…
The Vestey Meat Empire in South America
The Vestey Brothers were once the largest meat retailers in the world The company once controlled one-third of the refrigerated storage capacity in Britain and two-thirds of multiple butcher shops. It accounted for 20 per cent of all meat imported into Britain. Origins and early growth William Vestey (1859 – 1940) and Edmund Hoyle Vestey (1866 – 1954) were born to Samuel Vestey, a Liverpool provisions merchant. William Vestey William Vestey was sent to Chicago to scout for opportunities in 1876. He was…
