<p></p><p>NORTH American investors have bought a large-scale almond plantation near Robinvale in a deal worth more than $115 million.The largest Canadian pension fund, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and a United States asset management company jointly invested in 2878 hectares of land containing 1067ha of mature almond groves owned by Macquarie Group’s farm assets division MacFarm.More than 900ha of almond orchards have formed part of Âmanaged investment schemes, with licence-holding investors set for a strong return from the sale of the orchards and $25 million in accompanying water entitlements. <br></p> <p>Sunraysia Daily yesterday reported the Australian almond Âindustry, of which more than 60 per cent is based in Sunraysia, broke its monthly export record in June with more than $110 million of almonds heading overseas.Almonds have been selling at an average price of $11.55 per kg, an increase on the $5 average price they were selling for three years ago.Growers have cited new free trade agreements between Australia and Asian countries, as well as an ongoing drought in the global almond industry’s CalifornÂian hub, as the main drivers behind the Australian almond sector’s growth.<br></p><p></p>