Farmland and timberland post positive returns in first quarter

Farmland and timberland have posted positive returns in first quarter 2013, according to the NCREIF Farmland Index and NCREIF Timberland Index. Farmland posted the strongest first quarter return in the history of the index, while timberland presented the best first quarter performance since 2008, according to the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF).

During first quarter 2013, farmland recorded a 5.44 percent total return, comprising 4.42 percent appreciation and 1.02 percent income. Environmental factors and increasing investor demand helped drive returns in the farmland sector.

Annual cropland outperformed permanent cropland, with annual cropland returning 6.82 percent and permanent cropland returning 2.78 percent. The trend of annual and permanent cropland alternating outperformance has continued for seven quarters. The Mountain region, which has 45 properties in the index, was