08 Sep 2021
Rural land prices: finding the right fertiliser for growth
Mark Bennett |
Growth in rural land prices is increasing at huge pace. But what is actually causing this surge and can it be sustained?
About Mark Bennett
Mark is responsible for the performance of ANZ Agribusiness in Australia, with particular focus on the portfolio of large and complex customers in regional Australia. He has held relationship and senior business management roles in Agribusiness banking for more than 25 years.
Mark was raised on a dry land cropping property at Waitchie, Northwest Victoria where the family continue to farm today.
articles by Mark Bennett
20 Jul 2021
Aus farmland brimming at the highs
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australian farmland prices have been surging as commodity prices go from strength-to-strength and demand remains high.
01 Mar 2021
Aus agri cautiously optimistic for 2021
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia’s agricultural sector emerged from 2020 relatively unscathed and is looking to build on that confidence in the new year.
11 May 2020
True or false: panic buying surges food prices
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
New data show a run on supermarkets during the onset of COVID-19 restrictions could have led to increased food prices.
06 May 2019
China-Australia trade: knitted together
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia’s high-quality sheep and wool production is being bolstered by strong demand from Chinese markets.
26 Mar 2019
Australian sheep: shear opportunities ahead
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Seasonal conditions may have been tough for Australian sheep farmers but it’s a much better season for prices.
23 Jan 2019
The future of farming is big - literally
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
The size and shape of Australia’s farms is changing rapidly at a time when competition is ramping up. A new report offers a glimpse of the future.
22 Oct 2018
Light at the end of the drought
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Drought is not new and neither is the strength of Australia’s farmers.
10 May 2018
For beef, some good news in uncertain times
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Moves by China to restrict US exports could ultimately benefit Australia.
16 Mar 2018
Plum opportunities ahead for horticulture
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australian fruit and nut exports to China increased by 500 per cent in the past four years.
19 Sep 2017
The outlook for soft commodities
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Spring is here and all eyes turn to forecasts for wheat, beef, dairy and more.
07 Sep 2017
Can Aus afford to be choosers on foreign investment?
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Resistance to foreign investment in agriculture Australia risks costing the country on the global stage, expert suggests.
08 Jun 2017
Agtech: not just another buzzword
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
On-farm technology will play a major role in helping Australian farmers reach higher levels of productivity - and profit.
17 Nov 2016
Farming for funds: How do we pay for Australian agriculture?
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia has a globally competitive position in agricultural production. We produce high value products. But that position may not last long.
27 Sep 2016
From mutton to lamb: the outlook to 2040
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
It would be an understatement to say the Australian sheep industry has been through some tough times since the 1990s. Today, the sector is back on its feet and times ahead look even better, with a new report forecasting a surge in demand for lamb over the coming decades.
25 Aug 2016
Keep your non-polyester shirt on: the strong outlook for cotton
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Like the shirt on a farmer’s back, the cotton industry is tight. It’s an industry with its act together, with collaboration and connections all the way from industry leadership to the integration of production, ginning and marketing.
29 Jun 2016
Brexit may be good for Australian farmers
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Brexit has a long way to run but from an Australian agricultural perspective there’s cause for some optimism alongside the strong case for caution – while we wait for the prevailing volatility to dissipate in favour of a truer political and economic picture.
16 May 2016
Three insights: what do Chinese farmers want from Australia and NZ?
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Growing, wealthier populations in China and Vietnam are demanding more and more agricultural imports but quality expectations and the strength of the competition is very high.
05 Apr 2016
Five key agri themes from on the ground in China and Vietnam
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
How far is it from Beijing to Ho Chi Minh City? They could be planets apart if you ask attendees from our recent ANZ grains delegation from Australia and New Zealand.
02 Mar 2016
The five meatiest grains themes for 2016
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia's grains industry is fundamental to the agribusiness sector. Not only does it create value in its own right but supports revenue growth in domestic and export markets across Australian agribusiness.
04 Nov 2015
Can Australia meet Asia's growing dairy demand?
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
LCD televisions, fridges, vacuum cleaners. And milk. Milk may be white but it's not your typical white good. For Harvey Norman's Gerry Harvey however, the fit's just fine, thank you. It's a bet that makes sense given new ANZ data showing just how much the dairy industry will need to expand to meet growing Asian demand.
28 Aug 2015
Beefing it up in China
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Beef is big in China but a recent trip with a group of farmers, traders, processors and consultants revealed some fascinating insights and challenged our thinking around the headline statistics and stories about China food production and consumption.
27 Jul 2015
The changes Australian agriculture needs
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
Australia's agricultural sector faces the pressure of expectation as mining investment winds down and the country looks north to Asia's growing demand to provide the next great boom.
25 May 2015
Aussie beef - in a good paddock despite the challenges
Mark Bennett | Head of Aus Agribusiness, ANZ
The world wants to eat more. And there are more of us. Global population growth means the food revolution is underway.