Australia

Is the Sunshine Coast at risk of losing the farm to foreign interests?

Several national companies and even the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the capital's sovereign fund, are planning investments in agriculture in countries as diverse as Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Australia, Romania and the United States.

Foreign farmland acquisitions are a telling vote of no confidence in international markets by food-deficient countries, which understandably fear a repeat of the 2008 food crisis may deny them opportunities to buy grains and other essential soft commodities at any price.

"We want to make agriculture sexy," says the head of Macquaraie's Retail Agribuiness operation.

The shift of power in Australia’s Federal Parliament, which is now largely in the hands of a few independents representing rural and regional constituencies, combined with the increasingly vocal calls for scrutiny of foreign investment has sent signals of a more protectionist stance for Australian agriculture.

If former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke has his way, Saudi Arabia will produce its food in Australia.

New Zealand’s overseas investment regime will be on the US’ hit list during the Trans Pacific Partnership talks this week.

Government has taken action to resolve lingering speculation and strengthen transparency surrounding the degree of foreign ownership in Australian agriculture.

Australia's center-left Labor government said Tuesday it will examine foreign ownership of the country's rural land and agricultural food production in response to a spate of takeovers that have triggered anxiety about job losses and broader concerns about food security.

New South Wales Farmers Association is calling for a register of all overseas purchases of Australian agricultural land and water licenses.

More than $9 billion of prized agricultural assets have been sold to offshore interests in the past two years alone.

Fears that faceless corporations and international investors would become the new barons of the Australian bush have proved to be unfounded