Large South Australian apple portfolio for sale

The Duxton Apples portfolio, comprising a total of 429.96ha across South Australia, has been listed for sale providing an incoming buyer with a substantial horticulture opportunity. 

The portfolio includes three separate landholdings, Loxton, Nangwarry and Monarto. Loxton and Monarto are freehold assets and Nangwarry is leased until June 2040.

Loxton and Nangwarry are utilised for apple production while Monarto is used for storage and processing with 1,600sqm of cold storage across seven cool rooms, allowing the vendor to capitalise on peak pricing throughout the year. 

With 213ha planted including 95ha under net, the portfolio accounts for approximately 25% of South Australia’s apple production.

The portfolio comprises a mix of Pink Lady (60%), Granny Smith (25%) and Gala (15%), 2023 production equated to more than 20,000 bins. 

CBRE Agribusiness’s Angus Bills and John Harrison are managing the sale via an Expression of Interest campaign closing 14th March 2024.

“The portfolio features the characteristics of a highly productive irrigated tree crop enterprise; benefitting from scale, fertile soils, operational efficiency, idyllic climate and desirable location. It will initially be offered for sale in one-line or individually with a sale and leaseback opportunity available, with terms to be negotiated,” Mr Bills said. 

“There is scope to increase plantings by developing unplanted land of approximately 50ha, this ability will be attractive to buyers to increase the scale of the offering and enhance production.” 

Mr Harrison added, “The portfolio is vertically integrated and offers significant scale given it supplies a large portion of South Australia’s production. We expect interest to predominantly stem from existing South Australian growers looking for an expansion opportunity and interstate operators seeking a diversification opportunity, given some of the recent weather challenges experienced interstate.”