Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG), a company of Manulife Investment Management, has made its second Brazilian timberland deal for the year so far (third for its timberland and agriculture team in South America), stating that the expansion of its timberland portfolio in Brazil is a strategic priority, and a part of a broader mandate to grow its private markets’ global capabilities across real assets, private equity, and credit.
Through its affiliate Rio Verde Holding Ltda, HNRG acquired two operating companies with land use rights to 43,332 hectares (107,075 acres) of highly productive eucalyptus plantations in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from Copa Gestão de Investimentos Ltda., (“Copa”).
“We are pleased to announce this transaction to further build our investment platform in Brazil, which will benefit from the additional size and scale provided by the acquisition of these plantations,” said Tom Sarno, global head of timberland investments, Manulife Investment Management. “Finding high-quality assets, and working strategically with key Brazilian counterparties, continues to be a key focus to enhance and diversify clients’ portfolios.”
In March of this year, HNRG and Manulife Investment Management announced the acquisition of 12,874 hectares (31,812 acres) of eucalyptus plantations in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, through its affiliate Sempre Verde Florestas e Agricultura Ltda, from AMATA, through AMATA subsidiary APEI Plantio de Floresta Exotica S.A. (APEI).
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