MyFarm head of sales Grant Payton says rapidly building demand for horticultural investments has seen MyFarm raise $102 million of investor equity since April, double the $46m average annual investor equity it raised between 2016 and 2018.
MyFarm, which was established in 1990, began offering exposure to horticultural assets in 2015.
It partners with experienced operators in key sectors to put together investments in vineyards, apples, kiwifruit, hops, manuka honey, cherries and commercial property.
Most proposals are structured with a lease model that provides investors with a regular return through rental payments.
The 11 MyFarm syndicates established between April and November included six kiwifruit orchards, two vineyards, two commercial properties, a manuka plantation and a hop garden development.
Of the total 824 transactions, 70% were by repeat investors at an average investment of $124,000.
Payton says MyFarm’s most recent gold kiwifruit investment at Otamarakau, a 13.3 hectare, $18.45m Bay of Plenty orchard, was fully subscribed within four days.
“The record low interest rate environment is one of the key factors for investors’ decision to diversify into horticulture,” he said.
