It now appears inevitable that Landmark's Canadian parent Nutrien will swallow Tasmania's agri-jewel Ruralco (Roberts and CRT after its own 2006 merger) in an all-cash, $460 million bid lobbed a week ago.

Dispiriting – to say the least – for chief executive Mark Allison and his team at rival Elders in Adelaide. Back in mid-2013 (when Allison was its chairman, not yet its CEO), Elders' balance sheet was laden with debt and its paper traded as low as 64¢ when Ruralco sought and received pre-approval from the ACCC to take its rival out. Allison held out and, to undeniably, has since turned the good ship around.