Australia

Duxton Asset Management has bought more than 800 hectares of Australian fruit orchards for a discount of more than 50 per cent from receivers of failed managed investment scheme Rewards Group and listed land owner Ark Fund.

An Australian farmer has voiced concerns about a Chinese company's $29 million purchase of 23,000 ha of prime, grain-growing land in Western Australia's south.

A consultation paper on Australia's foreign ownership register for agricultural land is now available for public comment.

A Chinese conglomerate and Australia’s largest beef producer are amongst contenders vying for rights to farm an agricultural area equal in size to 21,000 soccer pitches in Western Australia.

Australia risks losing an opportunity to become a farmyard for Asia, as growing unease over foreigners buying rural land threatens to provoke protectionist policies.

Australia will set up a foreign-ownership register for farm lands, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Tuesday, as the government moves to ease public concern over foreign buyers in the agriculture sector.

A Austrália decidiu criar um registro nacional para os estrangeiros proprietários de terras agrícolas, anunciou a primeira-ministra Julia Gillard, no momento em que parte do setor rural manifesta preocupação com a venda de propriedades, em particular aos chineses.

L'Australie va créer un registre national répertoriant les détenteurs étrangers de terre agricole australienne, a annoncé mardi la chef du gouvernement, alors qu'une partie du monde rural s'inquiète de la vente de terres, à des Chinois notamment.

The New South Wales Farmers Association, in Australia, has switched policies to back much tighter restrictions on foreign companies and investment funds buying Australian farmland.

Derek Byerlee, co-author of a recent World Bank report The Rising Global Interest in Farmland, says world is running out of productive land and foreign investor and corporate land sales are on the rise across the globe.

Hong Kong-listed Chevalier Group is set to emerge as a major supplier of fresh produce to Woolworths and Coles by acquiring a significant share of a leading Australian fruit and vegetable wholesaler and grower.

Former World Bank rural advisor Derek Byerlee to tell conference that fears of a foreign farm land grab in Australia are unfounded.