Australia

Australia’s rural farming sector is witnessing a spurt in Chinese investments, backed by high expectations of the upcoming free trade agreement with China.

Chinese investors have spent $120 million in the last two months buying rural properties across Australia and the signs are that the buying spree is only the beginning, with more than $1 billion worth of deals in play.

The $150 million Rural Funds Group has increased its exposure to almonds after striking a deal to develop 1500 hectares in two new almond orchards in the NSW Riverina backed by a long-term lease to Singapore giant Olam.

The new Turnbull government is facing its first big test on foreign investment as Chinese bidders circle Australia's largest landholder, S. Kidman & Co., which owns cattle stations in the top-secret Woomera rocket range.

London-listed M.P. Evans, offloaded 31,000-hectare cattle-fattening property Woodlands, near Westmar, Australia for $28 million to a subsidiary of China's Fucheng Group.

Les vastes terrains au nord de l'Australie attirent de plus en plus d'investisseurs étrangers. Ces trois dernières années, des entreprises indonésiennes et chinoises ont acheté des terres agricoles.

Brazilian investors are currently building a cattle farm of 3,000 hectares in the eastern part of Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara.

New Zealand's government on Thursday blocked the NZ$88 million ($56 million) purchase of a local farm by China's Shanghai Pengxin amid public concerns about foreign land ownership.

An ABC Rural investigation reveals the extent of the creep of foreign ownership in the Top End, particularly over the past three years.

Government considers the development of two plots of land on the Ord River irrigation scheme so risky that it demanded a $150 million a year guarantee from the Chinese company behind the farming project.

Bass Coast Shire Council last month unanimously rejected Ningbo Dairy Group’s plan to house 1000 milking cows in barns and build a $6 million bottling plant on its main Glenview farm

Pengxin's attempt to transfer New Zealand assets to Chinese agricultural company Hunan Dakang in the middle of seeking approval to buy 14,000 ha sheep and beef farm seen as "bizarre".