Aliquot Agriculture Fund launched in Dublin

DUBLIN: Castlestone Management has launched a new fund Aliquot Agricultue (UCITS) Fund that is UCITS-complaint and mirroring its offshore Aliquot Agriculture Fund. “There are tremendous investment opportunities in agriculture and few opportunities for investors to gain actively-managed exposure,” according to Castlestone Management’s founder and joint chief executive Angus Murray. “Our new fund fills that gap.” Castlestone Management had spent many months working with regulators in Ireland to create a fund that give truly actively-managed agricultural exposure to investors.”Through the use of instruments such as exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded commodities, our new fund will mirror as closely as possible the exposures of our successful offshore Aliquot Agriculture Fund,” Angus Murray said. This Dublin-listed fund will be Castlestone’s second UCITS-compliant investment. It is being formed at the request of clients who would like exposure to this exciting asset class with the protection of a UCITS framework. “Our fund managers can reduce exposure to overpriced assets while increasing the weightings to those which have greater potential to rise. There are very few actively-managed agriculture funds in existence, and the vast majority of those that are UCITS compliant don’t have this flexibility,” according to a press release. Explaining the reasons for launching the agriculture fund, Castlestone said: • Agricultural commodities have a low to negative correlation to other investable asset classes. • Increasing world population has led to increased demand. • Developing nations are switching to higher calorie diets increasing demand further. • Water shortages have decreased the availability of arable land. • Growing popularity of biofuels has boosted demand for grains. • Changing and unpredictable weather patterns are disrupting crop production. Features of Aliquot Agriculture Fund • An actively managed, diversified fund. • Offers exposure to agriculture, alternative energy, livestock and water 2. • Daily traded. • There will be a management fee of 1.75 % • British pound denominated share classes. • An experienced investment team, investing in commodities since 2002 _NDTV