MatHolding and Santander join forces to transform farms into high-value crops
MatHolding, a group specialising in solutions for sustainable agriculture, has entered into a strategic agreement with Banco Santander through its farm management company, TerraNostra. The partnership aims to modernise traditional farms and convert them into high-value crops, such as olives and almonds, using intensive and super-intensive models.
The alliance will enable the modernisation of farms across Spain, providing farmers with access to tailored financing, advanced technical advice, and the implementation of innovative agronomic practices to enhance sector competitiveness. Both organisations are reinforcing their commitment to sustainability and the revitalisation of rural areas.
The agreement was signed in Madrid by Pau Relat, President of MatHolding, and Javier Cortadellas, Director of Clients, Profitability, and Institutions at Santander Spain. The deal includes financing lines tailored to farmers’ needs, covering loans for full-scale transformation, modernisation, and complete digitalisation of farms.
The collaboration will also support the adoption of modern agronomic practices, leveraging technical expertise and knowledge transfer from Santander’s 125 specialised offices and MatHolding’s agro-business division, CERESTIA.
TerraNostra, established in 2022, is CERESTIA’s farm modernisation and transformation division. It focuses on optimising farm performance through innovative technical solutions and sustainable management. TerraNostra has developed its own model for high-value crops (olives and almonds under intensive and super-intensive systems), combining precision irrigation, efficient fertilisation, plant nutrition, biostimulation, crop protection, and agricultural digitalisation. The company currently manages 19 farms in Extremadura, covering more than 1,000 hectares of transformed land.
TerraNostra is now entering the second phase of its expansion, with two projects under consideration in northern Extremadura and the Ebro-Catalunya region. The aim is to bring together medium-sized farms in these areas under TerraNostra’s management, supporting owners throughout the process. The partnership with Banco Santander will be key to scaling its impact.
Through this alliance, Santander also reinforces its position as a leading financial institution in the Spanish agri-food sector. In the first half of 2025, the bank allocated €2.975 billion to the sector, representing a 20% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Part of this investment has been directed specifically towards transforming farms into high-value crops, such as those promoted by TerraNostra.
For Santander, the partnership represents progress in its commitment to rural development, reducing bureaucracy for farmers and livestock breeders, and promoting the involvement of young professionals in the primary sector.
