MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Tierra del Fuego farm sold for 20 million USD

A long established traditional farm in Chilean Tierra del Fuego in the Timaukel area, has been sold “closed gate” to a group of Chilean investors for which they paid the equivalent of almost 20 million US dollars.

Sociedad Agricola Ganadera y Forestal Cameron Ltda, with its 90.000 hectares, settlement, machinery, flock and staff was taken over by the Larrain Hurtado investment group which is planning to continue with farming but also include tourism activities, according to La Prensa Autral from Punta Arenas. The farm belonged to twenty relatives of the original settlers from the 19th century but only six still lived and worked at Timaukel. "I guess we'll be going to live permanently in Punta Arenas where we have homes", said Dalmiro Guineo Veliz. "We're only taking our personal belongings and some family furniture dating back to the original establishment". Guineo Veliz said that a couple with children belonging to the investment group will be running the farm and have decided to recontract most of the labourers and sheepherders. "They have a lot of funds and I guess new farming techniques, more than what we could afford since we were after all labourers, no capital experts, and therefore they will manage better than us because they have the money", added Guineo Veliz. "As far as I know they are planning to invest in tourism attractions, an area which has not been exploited in Cameron and Timaukel but I guess has a great future". Finally Guineo Veliz said he was particularly happy because the farm remains in Chilean hands, since for some time there was a "gringo" (US citizen) buzzing around very much interested in acquiring the land.