Indian agritech firm Arya.ag has secured $81 million in an all-equity Series D round led by GEF Capital Partners, demonstrating investor confidence in the company's business model despite a global downturn in agricultural commodity prices. The funding round included over $70 million in primary capital, with the remainder allocated to secondary share sales.

The investment arrives at a time when agricultural commodity prices are generally declining. The World Bank has cautioned about the risks facing agricultural markets, including extreme weather, rising input costs, trade disruptions, and shifts in biofuel policies, all of which can lead to price volatility and inventory losses for businesses.

Arya.ag, however, claims to be mitigating these risks by avoiding direct commodity speculation and employing a model designed to withstand downward price pressures. The company provides storage facilities near farms and offers lending services to hundreds of thousands of farmers, giving them greater control over the timing and destination of their crop sales. This approach has allowed Arya.ag to maintain profitability, a notable achievement in the current market environment.

Founded in 2013 by former ICICI Bank executives Prasanna Rao, Anand Chandra, and Chattanathan Devarajan, Arya.ag is headquartered in Noida, India. The company's core mission is to empower farmers by providing them with the infrastructure and financial tools necessary to optimize their returns. The recent funding round suggests that investors believe Arya.ag's model is well-positioned to navigate the challenges of the current agricultural market and capitalize on future opportunities.