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BOSTON, Oct. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Investment Management today announced two agricultural acquisitions in Fresno County, California, on behalf of investors. The properties include a 500-acre almond, pistachio, and citrus orchard and an approximately 900-acre pistachio orchard.

The orchards are favorably located in California's Central Valley, a key U.S. agricultural and tree nut production region, with high-quality water rights. In addition, the properties are located in close proximity to existing farmland properties managed by Manulife Investment Management's integrated farmland management operations. The acquired properties add to an existing 22,500 acres of directly operated pistachio and citrus orchards located throughout California, providing an opportunity to benefit from economies of scale in the region.

"We are proud to add these high-quality orchards to our permanent crop portfolio, managed by our experienced direct-operation team of agricultural professionals, for the benefit of our investors," said Oliver Williams, global head of agriculture investments, Manulife Investment Management. "We believe that orchards, as a nature-based solution, can provide both economic returns to our investor clients along with social and environmental benefits. Producing healthy, nutritious food while responsibly managing these natural resources can also contribute positively to vibrant rural communities, such as the ones surrounding these investments."   

Manulife Investment Management manages approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland in major agricultural regions of the United States and in Canada, Chile, and Australia as part of its comprehensive private markets strategies. It also oversees approximately 6 million acres of timberland across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and Chile.

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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SOURCE Manulife Investment Management