Aither in the news | 2023 Water Markets Report
The 2023 Water Markets Report is now available here. Links to media surrounding the release of this years Water Markets Report can be found below.
Australian Financial Review
El Niño fears lift water prices, but asset values falling
Article by Larry Schlesinger
“After falling to near zero during the last few months of the past financial year on the back of record inflows into the southern Murray Darling Basin, water allocation prices have surged to between $75 and $135 a megalitre as farmers stock up ahead of a prolonged El Niño dry spell. ‘Farmers are willing to buy water at those prices just to take risk off the table,’ explained Ben Williams, principal at water market consultants Aither.”
The Guardian
Murray-Darling Basin plan: more money or time needed to complete water buybacks, experts say
“Ben Williams, of water analyst Aither, which publishes an index of water entitlements, said the volume turning over annually in the southern basin had dropped 60% since 2011-12 – after the last water buybacks under the Rudd government.”
ABC (Country Breakfast)
This week we discuss the year that was in the southern Murray-Darling Basin water markets. (Radio)
00:43:36 – 00:54:37
“In its latest review of the year in water, Aither, found a third consecutive La Nina kept prices down across the board. As the Basin Plan removes water from the consumptive pool, climate change means there will be less water overall it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch to assume the cost of owning a slice of that resource would only ever go up. But Aither’s Water Markets Advisory Lead, Ben Williams, there are multiple forces that can and did apply downward pressure on the market.
Agri Investor
Aither’s Water Entitlement Index records decline for first time in 10 years
“Aither’s annual Water Markets Report, published today, includes an update on the Aither Entitlement Index, which tracks the relative performance of a group of major water entitlements across the souther MDB. The AUI peaked at an all-time high in Feburary 2023 before softening to finish down 4 percent across the year, compared with 18 percent growth in 2021-22 and 6 percent growth in 2021-2020.”
AuctionsPlus
Why water could go to $200 a megalitre (Video)
“Irrigators have been advised to start snapping up water as nervous farmers start stressing about El Niño. Ben Williams, Principal at Aither says that if drier than average conditions take hold prices could go much higher, even after a recent surge.”
Country News
Report card on water markets
“The 10th annual Aither Water Markets Report has been released, summarising water trading activity and trends in the 2022-23 water year and providing insights into the outlook for 2023-24.”
Mirage News
Higher Rates Impact Murray Darling Water Markets Despite Buybacks
“Aither’s Water Markets Advisory Lead, Ben Williams, said that ‘wet conditions continued across the southern Murray-Darling Basin in 2022-23, increasing water supply and reducing irrigation water demand. This led to water allocation prices tumbling, with the annual volume weighted average price 62% lower than last year and the second lowest since records began’.”
The National Tribune
Higher interest rates hit water entitlement markets in the Murray Darling despite prospect of more government buybacks
“Today Aither released their tenth annual Aither Water Markets Report. It summarises water trading activity and trends in the 2022-23 water year and provides insights into the outlook for 2023-24.”