"Supporting partnerships between Gulf countries and American farmers to advance their own food security agendas would not only constitute a major boon for our farmers, but would also put the USG in a better position to partner with these countries in pursuing our own food security strategy with poor nations in the Arab world and beyond," writes the US embassy in Qatar
Farmers have urged the state government to establish a register that would list Victorian farms that have been bought by foreign owners. The call comes as concerns grow over the level of foreign ownership of Australian farms and over the control of productive food resources.
Hassad plans to spend $US350 million ($318 million) in Australia to secure food supplies for Qatar, which imports 95 per cent of its food.
Australians do realise the value of what is being sold, a land agent and rural property specialist said, "but their hands are tied because they can't raise the money".
Under the National Food Security Program, Qatari companies would produce five basic food items -- white and red meat, rice, sugar and grains (including wheat) -- in countries like Sudan, India, Australia, Argentina, Turkey and Brazil, among others.
Asian investors have overtaken Europeans as the biggest buyers of Australian land, a snapshot of foreign acquisitions reveals.
Local stock and station agents in Western District Australia estimate the Qatar government paid a premium of up to 20 per cent in order to secure the controversial deal,
The Middle Eastern company Hassad Foods, through Australian representatives, has been pinpointed as set to spend $45 million on five large western Victorian propertie
The governor of Khartoum State affirmed his support for Qatar Livestock Company (Mawashi) and directed official authorities to provide it with land plots for establishing its projects
Gulf states have opted to buy up large tracts of farmland in developing countries in a bid to safeguard their food supplies – a strategy that risks exporting their water shortages to other nations, analysts said.
According to Michael Yabsley of the Australian Gulf Council, agricultural land is among the top asset classes in Australia being considered by Gulf investors who have placed food security at the top of their priorities.
Qatar will make more investments overseas to produce key agricultural and horticultural commodities to ensure food supply security at home and will simultaneously focus on raising self-sufficiency in local produce.
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