Australia

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announces the acquisition of Jasper Farms, Australia's second-largest avocado producer.

One of Western Australia's most recognised household dairy names — the 130-year-old Brownes Dairy — has been sold to a Chinese firm.

Agreements between the State Government and Chinese-owned Kimberley Agricultural Investment were reached this week, overing 7400ha at Goomig Farmlands, near Kununurra, as part of the Ord Stage 2 project

According to the latest Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land, Chinese ownership of Australian farmland has increased tenfold in the past year, to 14.4 million hectares.

The deal will also see the company, backed by Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board, acquire two certified organic properties owned by Arcadian covering over 30,000 ha.

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund has made its first offshore farm investment, taking a stake in Australian beef stud Palgrove for an undisclosed amount.

Chinese investment in Australian farmland has risen over the past year from about 1.5 million hectares to almost 14.5 million hectares.

The amount of Australian farm land owned by Chinese interests has surged tenfold in the past year, climbing above 14 million hectares or 2.5 per cent of all agricultural land.

TIAA Global Agriculture Properties has acquired 10 of the 17 properties making up the SAF portfolio totaling 16,000 hectares across New South Wales, and Victoria.

Hong Kong based investors who recently took a 51 percent stake in northern NSW export beef processor, Bindaree Beef have plans to further develop their Western Australian grazing property investments, purchased in April last year.

The purchase of more Australian farms, agribusinesses and food processing plants is high on the agenda of one of the world’s biggest investment managers, the Chicago-based Nuveen.

Australian beef processor Bindaree Beef announced it has sold a 51 percent controlling stake in the family-owned company to Hong Kong-Australian billionaire, Hui Wing Mau, and Beijing-based equity fund Archstone Investment for approximately $120 million.