China's appetite for offshore investment in food and agriculture is expected to rebound from a lull that has delayed some deals, given strong interest to meet growing domestic demand, a leading banker said.

Herakles Farms has been ordered to pay $4.6 million by a court in Cameroon over alleged discrimination in its hiring practices.

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

Surexport has just announced its completion of three acquisitions: Portuguese raspberry producer Solana; Moroccan blueberry producer AG Group; and Spanish producer of organic berries Flor De Doñana.

Des organisations demandent l’arrêt du financement par la SFI des projets d’agrobusiness industriel qui sapent les systèmes alimentaires agroécologiques diversifiés sur lesquels repose la souveraineté alimentaire.

Organizaciones solicitan que se detenga la financiación de la CFI a los agronegocios industriales que socavan los sistemas alimentarios diversificados y agroecológicos que fortalecen la soberanía alimentaria.

US-based Proterra Investment Partners has banked over $360 million selling 49 farms to 23 local buyers in Australia.

À la veille de la réunion annuelle des banques publiques de développement à Rome, 280 groupes de 70 pays ont signé une lettre dénonçant leur financement de l'expansion de l'agriculture industrielle, de la destruction de l'environnement et du contrôle du système alimentaire par les entreprises.

Macquarie-backed Viridis Ag has bulked up its national broadacre cropping portfolio, buying a 356-hectare property in Belubula Valley, amid a steady stream of blue-chip farming deals in Australia.

Europe’s biggest pension fund manager is set to expand its Asia portfolio "primarily with additions of co-investments, joint-ventures and investor-led platforms with a focus on farmland and timberland".

In its second swoop on prime northern NSW cattle country this year, Chinese-owned pastoral business, Rifa Salutary, has snapped up another two aggregations for an estimated $55 million.

Chinese investors will spend nearly $2.5 billion in agriculture and $1.7 billion in financial assets. In 2014, those were numbers were $32 million and $51 million respectively.

Donlinks, one of China's biggest vegetable oil producers, will partner with British Virgin lslands-registered Genius Link Capital, to make an offer for S. Kidman & Co, Australia's largest landholder.

London-based private equity titan Terra Firma is mulling a partial sale of Australia's largest privately owned beef producer, after being approached by several Chinese companies.

Lawson Grains controls more than 42,000 hectares of prime cropping country in Australia.

Investment bank Macquarie Group is buying two farms in Australia's "wheatbelt" bringing its total holdings in Western Australia to 45,000 ha.

Cofco makes offer for stake in Nidera, which produces soybeans on over 20,000 ha in Argentina.

Chinese meat firms are looking abroad to scout for potential acquisition targets among beef farmers and processors.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has initiated a position in Archer Daniels Midland when it is anticipated that companies like ADM and Bunge will seek out targeted acquisitions of global farmland in order to both expand and diversify operations

As Europe's debt crisis rattles global equity market confidence farming is being increasingly championed by many as a sound, long-term bet for investors needing a safe haven for their money - particularly superannuation funds.

Cofco Ltd., China’s largest grains trader, said it is seeking overseas acquisitions to help secure supplies of commodities including soybeans, wheat and sugar as rising domestic incomes spur faster food demand growth.

Cientos de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, incluyendo movimientos de agricultores y ganaderos, grupos de mujeres y organizaciones no gubernamentales, harán un llamamiento internacional contra el acaparamiento de tierras en el marco de la reunión sobre agricultura del G20, celebrada en París el 22 y 23 de junio.

Des centaines d'organisations de la société civile notamment des mouvements paysans, des groupes de femmes et des organisations non-gouvernementales, lanceront un appel mondial contre l'accaparement des terres agricoles lors de la rencontre du G20 sur l'agriculture qui se tiendra à Paris les 22 et 23 juin.

Hong Kong-based Nexis Holdings has a $500 million budget to purchase farmland between northern New South Wales and North Queensland.

"Indian law does not allow foreign companies to buy land and therefore Omani companies can enter into a contract farming relationship," says senior Indian government official.

China's sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corp, has bought a 14.5 per cent stake in grain trading and production firm Noble Group for US$850 million.

Institutional investors, large corporates and big family operators are expected to dominate demand for prime farmland this financial year as smaller farmers’ buying power takes a hit from higher interest rates, lower profits.

With favourable global economic conditions, including current high commodity prices, and with Australia’s exchange rate at sub USD 0.70, big properties around Australia are changing hands with overseas investors buying in.

Young people are moving away, foreign and domestic investors are moving in and smaller farms are being swallowed up.

Major Brazilian meatpacker Minerva Foods and part-owner Saudi Arabia's SALIC have bought two sheep-focused meat processors in Western Australia for almost $48 million with plans to expand their operations.