World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
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Chinese and Zimbabwean agricultural firms undertake ambitious $25 million agricultural projectChinese and Zimbabwean agricultural firms undertake ambitious $25 million agricultural project China and Zimbabwe Agricultural Company undertake ambitious US$ 2.5 agri project Aiming to help Zimbabwe's government to revamp the nation's agricultural sector, the China and Zimbabwe Agricultural Company has started an ambitious US$ 2,5 million seed breeding project in Mazowe. The investment was made through the China Industrial International Group, the parent company of the China and Zimbabwe Agricultural Company. China Industrial International Group chief executive Nie Haiyang stated that the seed breeding base in Mazowe would start with citrus production: "The seed breeding base in Mazowe is targeting an estimated one million seedlings per year”, adding that they were targeting to distribute five million trees seedlings in the next five years, adding that a minimum of 3,000 hectares had been earmarked for the project. Under the project, apples, grapes, bananas, peaches and pears would be grown by local farmers under contract farming. The project is expected to see Zimbabwe generate foreign currency as the local farmers' produce would be exported to China. Also, the project should cascade into the southern African region, as China looks further afield to invest in the continent's agriculture to provide food for the Asian nation. Original source: Daily news published: 2020-11-12 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Cambodia urged to rethink relations with China and land policy to recover from outbreakCambodia urged to rethink relations with China and land policy to recover from outbreak Cambodia urged to rethink Chinese ties, land policies to recover from pandemic Chinese company Hengfu Group Sugar Industry, was reported to be leasing land in its concession area to communities in Preah Vihear province while its subsidiaries have indefinitely halted their operations. Both activities are violations of its contract with the Cambodian government. According to global network People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS), international research-based organization GRAIN, and Cambodian NGO Ponlok Khmer (PKH),Cambodia's “growing” relationship with China will only worsen landlessness and abuses to Cambodian rural peoples. The groups made this statement after the fifth meeting of China-Cambodia Inter-government Coordination Committee,which was held last June 16, 2020. “Cambodian farmers and Indigenous Peoples are already suffering from the consequences of the two countries' strategic partnership, which only works in favor of China.We stand with these communities. They have to contend with the continuing abuses of Chinese investors while looking for ways to cope with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic," said PCFS. “The scale of China's outward investment in global farmland is clearly significant and is having an impact on local farmers across the world. We identified 61 deals of large-scale overseas land acquisitions by Chinese companies for food production covering over 3.3 million hectares that have been concluded or are in process including in Cambodia," added GRAIN. Since the inking of the strategic partnership, China has become Cambodia's top foreign investor in recent years according to government data. Chinese companies collectively have received over 280,000 hectares of economic land concessions (ELC) in Cambodia. Case in point: China's Hengfu in Preah Vihear The groups cited the case of Chinese company Hengfu Group Sugar Industry, which was reported to be leasing land in its concession area to communities in Preah Vihear province while its subsidiaries have indefinitely halted their operations. Both activities are violations of its contract with the Cambodian government. “Hengfu is employing illegal schemes to keep its control over the disputed land while it cannot carry on with its regular operations. It is taking advantage of the pandemic by collecting rent from villagers who only want to secure their food and livelihood amid pandemic," said PKH, which has been supporting these communities throughout these years. In 2011, the Cambodian government granted Hengfu's subsidiaries - Lan Feng, Rui Feng, HengNong, Heng Rui, and Heng You - ELCs covering about 40,000 hectares of land in Preah Vihear province. The investment reportedly amounted to USD 360 million and the government claimed that a sugar factory built by the company as part of this investment was the largest in Asia. Hengfu started its operations in 2012. “Hengfu displaced communities, destroyed livelihoods, degraded the environment, trampled on the indigenous culture, and violated human rights," the groups said. The Khmer and Indigenous Kuy communities in Preah Vihear have resisted Hengfu's operations for almost a decade now, and the groups credit this resistance for the sudden end of the company's operations in March 2019. But they pointed out that Hengfu's ELCs are still in effect, which allows it to harass these communities through the filing of trumped-up criminal charges. PKH shared that Hengfu recently revived a pending case it filed in 2014. At the time, villagers had to confiscate the bulldozers sent out by the company to stop the arbitrary clearing of their lands. The Preah Vihear Provincial Court acquitted eight community members and two of their staff of “illegal confinement and detention” last February, but another eight community members are still awaiting decision on the same accusation. The ruling is set to be released on July 8, 2020. The groups are also concerned that the company can always file another charge or revive any of its previous charges in an attempt to pacify the communities' opposition. PKH mentioned that government officials and police have taken advantage of Hengfu's closure by occupying parts of the disputed land. They have threatened returning communities who previously resided in these areas. More Chinese landgrabs in the 'new normal' The World Bank recently released a report that said Cambodia's poverty rate will increase and around two million jobs are at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, the Ministry of Economy said that it “will find any possibility to see if we can inject more cash” into the economy. It was in this context that PCFS, GRAIN, and PKH are sounding the alarm on the “stronger” China-Cambodia partnership declaration. The groups said more cases like Hengfu's will proliferate, and that it signals immunity from accountability for abusive Chinese investors. “Cambodia should terminate these Chinese concessions and all other ELCs and review its ties with China if the government is sincere in saving its economy," said the groups. They urged reforms that would prioritize and empower the country's farmers and Indigenous Peoples in developing their lands instead of awarding them to foreign companies. “Taking these actions is recognizing the inalienable right of the rural peoples to food and to produce food, which is ever more important amid the many economic uncertainties brought to us by the coronavirus pandemic," PCFS said. “We reiterate the demand of affected communities in Preah Vihear to revoke the ELCs granted to Hengfu and its subsidiaries in Cambodia. The countless human rights violations it committed in the past ten years and its blatant breach of contract are more than enough reasons to warrant its banishment from the country," the coalition said. “Instead of food security or investment, these land grabbers have produced misery and conflict among the villagers. Together with the Kuy communities and everyone who supports them to protect their farms and forest, it is important to affirm the only solution: stop these deals and give the land back to the people," said GRAIN. PKH said the government must uphold the rights of its people and protect rural communities against the transgressions of these Chinese companies operating in Cambodia. “State efforts should focus on uplifting rural communities from their poor living conditions instead of being complicit to the profiteering of foreign and corporate interests," PKH added. Furthermore, the groups urged the government of Cambodia to return the disputed land in Preah Vihear to the Khmer and Indigenous Kuy communities. “This would prevent other parties who might take the place of Hengfu in grabbing these lands, which is already taking place," PKH said. PCFS, GRAIN, and PKH expressed their solidarity with the Khmer communities and Indigenous Kuy people who continue to assert their legitimate land rights even amid the global health crisis. They will be relaunching petition they launched in 2018 in support of the campaign against Hengfu's landgrabbing. ### REFERENCES: Sylvia Mallari and Razan Zuayter, PCFS Global Chairpersons - secretariat@foodsov.org Kartini Samon, GRAIN - kartini@grain.org Sophorn Poek, PKH Executive Director - sophorn@ponlokkhmer.org Original source: PCFS published: 2020-7-5 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Chinese sugar company leases part of Cambodian land to farmersChinese sugar company leases part of Cambodian land to farmers Chinese sugar company leases parts of Cambodian land concession to farmers Korn Art, 38, shoulders sticks of sugarcanes to load onto an ox-cart at a farm in Kandal province, Cambodia. A Chinese sugar company with a large long-term land concession in Cambodia came under fire from NGOs Tuesday for leasing parts of the concession to local villagers, collecting rent instead of engaging in the activities stipulated in its contract with the Cambodian government. The Hengfu Group Sugar Industry, the mother company of five local subsidiaries in Cambodia, was awarded a 70-year concession in 2011 spanning 400,000 hectares (1,544 square miles) in Preah Vihear province in return for promising to invest U.S. $1 billion. The Cambodian government held an opening ceremony for a factory on the concession in 2016, where Prime Minister Hun Sen noted that the companies invested $360 million for stage one of the development scheme. But by charging rent to villagers that live there instead of using the land for sugar production, the company is in breach of contract, NGOs say. The Chinese companies should return the land concession back to the government, and the government should return the land to the villagers, most of whom are from indigenous minorities, Lor Chan, the Preah Vihear provincial coordinator for The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association told RFA's Khmer Service. “Many Cambodian villagers are leasing land from the Chinese companies," he said. Lor Chan added that following the concession, the local villagers filed complaints against the companies that are still pending. “It is illegal. They breached their land concession contracts with the government. The companies have no legal ground to lease land to villagers," he said. The concession impacted thousands of villagers from 25 villages in three districts in the province, according to Phek Sophoan, of the Ponlok Khmer Organization, which advocates for the human rights of indigenous people living in the province's highlands. Phek Sophoan told RFA that outside villagers and government officials are also leasing the land as opportunists, taking advantage of the situation to encroach on land that should belong to the highlanders. “The companies were awarded the land concession for sugar plantations. So when they are out of business, they must return the land back to the government so the people who used to cultivate it can do so again," he said. The companies suspended operations due to internal problems, but promised to resume in 2020, according Preah Vihear Provincial Agriculture Department Director Peung Tryda. The director stated this some time after they suspended operations. RFA attempted to contact him Tuesday, but he could not be reached. RFA reached Preah Vihear Provincial Governor Prak Sovann, but he refused to comment about the situation. Farmers divided Local farmer Yeay Sok, told RFA that she leased 20 hectares (50 acres) of land at 200,000 riels ($48.70) per hectare per year from the companies to cultivate rice. She said she paid half first and will pay the rest after harvest. Yeay Sok, who has already planted on five hectares, said she thinks the cost of leasing the land is fair to the farmers. “Many Cambodians are leasing land from the Chinese," she said, adding that people from Kampong Cham and Prey Veng provinces have come to lease parts of the concession with annual contracts. “If they let us, we will continue to lease the land next year," she said. Yeay Sok said she had no idea why the companies stopped cultivating their sugar plantations, adding that there are now local cattle grazing where the sugar cane was once planted. But an indigenous Kui villager who refused to be named because of security concerns told RFA that he lost a six hectare communal plantation to the companies in 2012 and believes they shouldn't be allowed to rent out the land now. “It was my land. They took it because they said the government gave them [the rights]. But now why stopped [planting sugar] so they are leasing the land to people and I don't think that's fair," the villager said. He argued that the companies need to return the land, which has been in his family for generations, now that they are out of business. “So Cambodians are no longer in charge of the land, and Chinese own it. It's very strange," he said. RFA contacted Lan Feng Cambodia, one of the subsidiaries, but company representative Y Heng declined to comment. Economic land concessions (ELCs) have been at the heart of land disputes between the government and its citizens as residents are often forced off their land so that it can be exploited. Prime Minister Hun Sen's government has issued concessions to more than 2.1 million hectares of Cambodian land to investors, including major Chinese and Vietnamese companies and local firms with ties to the governing Cambodian People's Party (C.P.P.), according to a 2015 report by the human rights group LICADHO. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Original source: Radio Free Asia published: 2020-6-7 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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China-Africa: 'Huge Potential' for Agricultural CooperationChina-Africa: 'Huge Potential' for Agricultural Cooperation China-Africa: "Huge" ag cooperation potential Photo from China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. China hosted African agricultural leaders for a forum this week where Chinese officials pledged to expand and deepen cooperation, investment, and trade with African agriculture over the next 3 years. According to China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 500 representatives from African countries and international organizations attended the meeting hosted by the Ministry and the Hainan Provincial Government in the provincial capital of Sanya, December 9. Attendees heard speeches from China's Minister and Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Hainan governor, and African leaders. China's ag minister emphasized the "huge potential" for China-Africa cooperation in agriculture in the "new era" proclaimed by Xi Jinping. The focus of cooperation will be on food security, poverty alleviation, agricultural science and technology, agricultural modernization, and giving developing countries a stronger "voice" in global food and agricultural governance. China's ag minister pledged: expand investment in Africa by Chinese companies build demonstration farms expand cooperation with African research centers host African technicians for 10,000 trainings in the next 3 years boost annual China-Africa agricultural trade to $10 billion within a decade from its current level of $6.9 billion achieve basic food security for Africa by 2030 China's ag ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Union Commission and the African Green Revolution Alliance. A "Sanya Declaration" calling for greater China-Africa agricultural cooperation was issued, and 11 project agreements were signed by government departments, international organizations, research units, and companies. According to China's ag minister China's agricultural trade with Africa expanded more than 10-fold from 2000 to 2018 Chinese enterprises have invested 15 billion yuan in Africa China has 115 agricultural projects valued at $5 million or more in two-thirds of African countries Chinese agricultural research institutes have agreements with African counterparts in 12 countries, and they send experts to Africa for 10,000 person-visits each year China has agricultural demonstration centers in 19 African countries There are 10 South-South research projects in African countries and over 300 agricultural experimental trial The Chinese ag minister also met with delegations from African countries individually before the meeting. In his meeting with the South African delegation, he remarked that China's cooperation with South Africa is a model for further deepening. The Chinese minister remarked that he had recently attended the 10th anniversary of China-Africa FAO South-South Cooperation held in Uganda. The South African Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development expressed interest in collaboration on plant diseases. Original source: Dimsums Blogspot published: 2020-1-9 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Chinese company to build fish farming center worth 1.6 trillion Ugandan shillings in UgandaChinese company to build fish farming center worth 1.6 trillion Ugandan shillings in Uganda Chinese company to build UGX. 1.6 trillion fish breeding centre in Uganda KAMPALA - Hainan Qinfu Foods Company Limited from China is looking for 5,000 acres of land to invest a total of $450m (about UGX1.6 trillion) is a specialized aquaculture industrial park. The company is the leading fishing enterprise that specializes in tilapia aquaculture in China. In China, the company encompasses commercial fish fry production, production of fish feed, fish processing and marketing among others. The company's Chairman Qinfu Zhou told officials of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) last week that with support from the Uganda Embassy in China and Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the company is investing $450m in establishing the park in Uganda. The project aims to introduce Chinese management experience by establishing a high tech-industrial park through the development of production and providing broodstock. It will also avail production technology including creating jobs for Ugandans especially through establishing an out-grower network. The project will include fish ponds for tilapia farming, hatchery for breeding stock, tilapia processing plant and fish feed processing plant. Others are collagen processing plants, fish feed processing plants, packaging material factory, and a fish farming out-grower scheme. “Our aquaculture industrial park we intend to establish requires 2000ha (5000 acres) of land," he pointed out. Original source: PML Daily published: 2019-12-12 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Why Chinese farmers crossed the border into Russia's Far EastWhy Chinese farmers crossed the border into Russia's Far East Why Chinese farmers have crossed border into Russia's Far East By Andrei Zakharov & Anastasia Napalkova Chinese workers here are main seasonal and rarely settle in Russia. The farm in Maksimovka is surrounded by high metal fences. The Chinese migrants who work there only leave the site to go shopping. At the centre of this village in Russia's Far East sits an old abandoned building - there is no lock on the door and inside, the floor is littered with papers dating back to the 1980s and 90s. Here lie clues to why a farm that once provided work to some 400 Russians was unable to survive. Like many of the collective farms in rural Russia, the Mayak farm collapsed with the old Soviet Union. That is when the Chinese workers arrived, in five border regions, and Russians have not always been happy to welcome their new neighbours. "Working in Russia is much the same as in China. You get up in the morning and go to work," says Chom Vampen. He is one of thousands of Chinese who have moved to this vast, under-populated part of Russia since the early 1990s. Most seek work at Russian- or Chinese-owned farms or buy the lease on the land to develop their own agricultural enterprises. As Russia's relations with the West have deteriorated, President Vladimir Putin has welcomed China's growing footprint here. Mayak's chairman, Yevgeny Fokin, leased thousands of hectares to Chinese entrepreneurs, attracted by low rents and large farms. "We gave the shares to Fokin, thinking it would be better if the land belonged to the collective. But he gave it all to the Chinese and left, and we lost everything," a local resident of Maksimovka village, Tatyana Ivanovna, said. "No way," says Mr Fokin. "There was nothing unusual about it ." How Chinese companies took over Chinese companies first appeared in Russia's Far East in the early 2000s, but Beijing's interest in the region increased after the global financial crisis of 2008. "There was panic, [the Chinese] were looking at where to invest," the head of a Chinese-owned farm told BBC Russian, preferring not to give his name. Chinese investment was followed by an influx of Chinese migrants. "We have little land and a lot of people," said one Chinese farmer. Based on data released by the state land register, BBC Russian calculated that Chinese citizens either owned or leased at least 350,000 hectares (3,500 sq km) of Far Eastern land in Russia. In 2018, around 2.2 million hectares of Russian land in the region was used for agricultural purposes. The actual proportion could be higher, the BBC has learned. Chinese farmers are, according to BBC research, represented in 40% of the Far East, most significantly in the Jewish autonomous region of Birobidzhan. Regional governor Alexander Levintal said that in many cases land officially leased by Russians was in reality managed by Chinese nationals. "Almost all the land that belonged to collectives was handed over to the Chinese," said the head of the Jewish autonomous region's peasant association, Alexander Larik. Why relations are uneasy Most of the farms run by Chinese migrants resemble fortresses. At Babstovo, a half-hour drive from the Chinese border, lies Friendship farm, which is surrounded by a high fence and a red flag. But things are different in the village of Opitnoye Polye, where Xin Jie employs Russian as well as Chinese workers. Like many Chinese here, he adopted a Russian name and is now known as Chinese Dima. Chinese Dima moved to Russia in the 1990s and leased more than 2,500 hectares of land to develop a soya plantation. He is actively involved in the community, buying presents for nursery school children and sending his tractor to help clear the snow in remote villages in the winter. Few have integrated quite as well. Conflicts between Russians and Chinese are not uncommon. In 2015, three Russians entered a Chinese factory in the Far Eastern Amur region and threatened a Chinese guard with a stick, demanding he give them food. A few days later, when they returned to steal a tractor engine, they were confronted by the same Chinese guard who this time carried an axe. They were given prison sentences ranging from five to nine years. Most Chinese cross the border for seasonal work, for sowing or harvesting, and then return home. But many Russians are unhappy with the Chinese influx. More than one in three people said they viewed China's Russia policy as expansion, according to a poll conducted in 2017 by the Russian Academy of Sciences. Almost half said that China threatened Russia's territorial integrity, while a third believed that it endangered their country's economic development. "They leave at seven in the morning and return after dark. I don't see them and they don't see me," says Ivanovich of his Chinese neighbours in the village of Dimitrovo. But some Russians have struck up friendships with the Chinese. "They bring beer, we drink. I give them eggs and honey," says Alexander. Why Russian workers struggle to compete Chinese farm workers in Russia's Far East often have a better reputation than their Russian counterparts. "The Chinese do not drink and they have nowhere to run; they come here for the season. Our citizens come to work for a week, plead for money and then go on a bender," complained one Russian agricultural boss who declined to give his name. Mr Larik, of the peasant association in the Jewish autonomous region, said Chinese farm owners generally preferred hiring Chinese migrants and gave Russian nationals low-skilled jobs. A Chinese farmer who asked to stay anonymous complained about the drinking habits of Russian employees. "All Russians drink. Today you pay them, tomorrow they do not show up. There are problems with discipline," he said. Russia has a poor record of protecting workers' rights, especially in the agriculture industry, which is generally low paid. Not everyone here has a low opinion of local workers. "What is the difference between Russian and Chinese workers? Russian workers are smarter than the Chinese," says Chom Vampen. Translation by Katherine Zeveleva. Original source: BBC published: 2019-11-14 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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4 new Cambodian banana plantations approved for export to China4 new Cambodian banana plantations approved for export to China 4 new Cambodian banana plantations approved for export to China The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) recently greenlit four new Cambodian plantations to export their bananas to the Chinese market. This brings the total number of Cambodian banana plantations approved to export to China up to nine, representing a total planting area of around 10,000 hectares. Cambodian bananas were first approved for import to China in April this year. The Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group (CAG) has recently announced their intentions to invest US $30 million in the Cambodian banana industry. At a meeting with officials from the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture in Beijing, Li Zhijun, the head of the Beijing Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stated that the group is researching and preparing an investment plan and is considering purchasing 1500 hectares of land in Cambodia for banana planting. According to a report by the Khmer Times, the Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group believes that Cambodia has good potential as a destination for agricultural investments. Recent reports from Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture indicate that Cambodia exported 110,512 tons of fresh bananas in the first nine months of this year, mainly to China, Vietnam and Japan. Head of the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture's head office, Ngin Chhay, welcomed the plan and promised to promote the planned investments. Chhay expressed the importance of such investments to the development of the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasizing that they would help modernize the agricultural sector and encourage high quality standards for the processing, packaging and export of agricultural produce. Srey Vuthy, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that Cambodia is a very attractive market for overseas investors, particularly from China, thanks to its geographical location and favorable investment policies. Vuthy also expressed that Cambodia must make the most of this opportunity and strive to expand the export volume of agricultural produce to help maintain economic growth. According to Longmate Agriculture director Hong Lak, Cambodia's banana plantations have been expanding rapidly since early 2019, and Cambodia's banana exports to China are expected to grow significantly over the next few years, possibly even eclipsing rice in terms of profit. Longmate Agriculture has over 400 hectares of banana plantations in the Chhuk District of Cambodia's Kampot Province, equipped with a local packaging facility. The company's banana exports to China for 2019 are projected to reach 22,000 tons, with next year's target set at 33,000 tons. Source originale: Produce Report published: 2019-11-14 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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China brings 80 investors to TanzaniaChina brings 80 investors to Tanzania China brings 80 investors to Tanzania By Abduel Elinaza An 80-member business delegation from China's Shandong Province will arrive in the country on Wednesday for a four-day business and investing scouting mission. Once in the country, the delegation mission organised by the Department of Commence of Shandong in collaboration with Tanzania Investment Centre and East Africa's Commercial and Logistics Centre Chamber of Commerce (EACLCCC), will have two days each in the mainland and Isles. EACLCCC Manager Ms Cathy Wang said the delegation comprising of government and private companies are looking for export and import opportunities. "Their intention is to explore the Tanzania market for a friendly exchanges and common development of bilateral relations and mutual development between Tanzania and China," Ms Wang told reporters yesterday. EACLCCC, registered this year, has so far attracted 400 members mostly from Tanzania and designed to foster mutual business and investment relation for Sino-Tanzania. The delegation, under the guidance of Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Tanzania Prime Minister's Office (Investment) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, will have a special forum on Thursday before proceeding to Zanzibar on the next day. The delegation will look on how to scale up agriculture export and import trading in the area of agriculture equipment and products. "They will exchange views on motor vehicle- new and used, aquatic products, marine culture industry, fishery, as well as livestock industry," Ms Wang said. They will also discuss general situation regarding financing import and export trades as well as Sino- Tanzania trade financing programme. "The delegation will also look on the possibility of direct import and export, cutting a third part country. "For instance, China is consuming a lot of beef from Tanzania but mostly imported through Kenya," Ms Wang said. Once in the country, the delegation will be hosted by the Prime Minister's Office (Investment), Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Livestock and Fishery, TIC, Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) and EACLCCC. Shandong is the third wealthiest province in China with a GDP of 1.156 trillion US dollars last year. It is also one of populous with over 100.5 million people as of this year's census. Original source: All Africa published: 2019-9-8 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Chinese CEE equity partner invests € 60 million m to acquire Romanian granary, logistics centerChinese CEE equity partner invests € 60 million m to acquire Romanian granary, logistics center CHINA'S CEE EQUITY PARTNERS INVESTS €60M TO ACQUIRE ROMANIAN GRAIN SILOS, LOGISTICS HUBS china's CEE Equity Partners announced an investment of €60 million (US$67 million) through China's Central and Eastern Europe Investment Cooperation Fund II for the acquisition of 15 grain silos and logistics hubs in Romania, from the Brise Group, held by Bristol Logistics SA. As one of the largest agribusinesses in Romania, the Brise Group will use the funds to modernize and upgrade its business, with €25 million (US$28 million) being allocated to establish a new company in partnership with CEE Equity Partners, and the remaining €35 million (US$39 million) going to Brise Group itself, reports Romania Insider. Romania is emerging as an important actor in international grain trade, serving as a channel connecting southeastern European producers with destination markets, particularly in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and across the EU. Additionally, the country saw record breaking production for wheat, maize, and sunflower last year, with a total grain harvest of 31 million tons. Registered in Luxembourg under The China Central and Eastern European Investment Co-operation Fund II SCS SICAV-SIF, the China CEE Fund II was formed in November 2017, and saw its first close three months later at $800 million with commitments from CEE Equity Partners Ltd., Silk Road Fund, the Hungarian EXIM Bank, and the China EXIM Bank. The assets touched by the deal are strategically located throughout the most agriculturally productive regions of Romania, and are situated such to offer multimodal shipment connections by road, rail, and water. These assets will be upgraded and modernized to strengthen their loading and discharge rates, and to improve their storage capacity, traceability, and treatment related services. Through this investment CEE Equity Partners will be investing in a purposely structured Romanian company for the modernization, integration, development, and construction of open access grain hubs and terminals. Meanwhile, the deal will enable the Brise Group to focus solely on its grain origination and trading business once the divestment of its logistics hubs to Fund II is complete. From this point on, the company will be a grain origination client of Bristol Logistics' infrastructure platform - a pioneer for Romania, as it is open to all farmers and traders operating within the catchment areas served by Bristol Logistics' network, according to a statement announcing the deal. Original source: Global AgInvesting published: 2019-8-13 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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China's rice farms help boost food security and employment in central UgandaChina's rice farms help boost food security and employment in central Uganda Chinese rice farm helps boost food security, employment in central Uganda KALUNGU, Uganda, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A large expanse of lush green rice paddies is a major highlight along the highway from Uganda's capital Kampala to the southern part of the country. The 3,000 acre rice farm, with a target of reaching 6,000 acres here in the central district of Kalungu, is owned by Zhong's Industries Ltd, a private Chinese enterprise. At the farm, workers from across the east African country are busy working. At the section of ready to harvest rice, dozens of youths battle with swarms of birds that come to feed on the rice. As a daily task, they whistle, shout and flap to scare away the birds. "I wake up at six in the morning to go and scare away the birds. We are a group of several youths who do this," 24-year-old Brown Mfitundinda told Xinhua in a recent interview. Several hundreds of meters away, combined harvesters are busy as tractors ferry the harvested rice to the rice processing facility also located on the farm. At the facility, there are huge sun drying areas where the rice from the field is spread out on cemented floors by several dozens of youths mostly women. After the drying the rice is ferried into the processing facility where it is milled before it is packed in 50kg bags with inscriptions "Zhong Yi" rice. Zhong Shuangquan, managing director Zhong's Industries Ltd, told Xinhua in a recent interview that there are over 1,200 local employees and five Chinese working on the farm. The Chinese largely offer technical expertise especially in preparing the land for cultivation, technology, machinery and sales, according to Zhong. He said planting, cultivation, harvesting and processing and sales goes on throughout the year. On average the farm makes daily sales of up to 40 tons of rice per day. Zhong said the company plans to also use the out-grower model where millions of acres of land will be opened up for rice farming across the country. In Uganda, rice growing is considered strategic as it has the potential to contribute to increasing rural incomes and improving food and nutrition security. Some of the rice of the country has been exported to regional markets like neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Experts say the demand for rice is continuing to grow because of the increasing population. CHINA BOOST China through a tripartite agreement with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and some member countries has over the years been sending technical experts to Africa through the South-South Cooperation Program. Uganda is one of the countries that have benefited from this on-the-farm training of small scale farmers to boost production. At the end of the second phase of the program in 2017, about 3,000 farmers were trained in cereals, horticulture, aquaculture and livestock in Uganda, according to the ministry of agriculture. During the project, the Chinese technicians introduced the growth of Chinese hybrid rice. Official studies showed that the hybrid rice can yield up to 10 metric tons per hectare compared to the conventional rice which yields 4.5 metric tons per hectare. Farmers in eastern Uganda, a region renown for rice growing, have already taken on growing the Chinese hybrid rice to boost their household income. Uganda also established the 220-million-dollar Kehong China-Uganda Agricultural Industrial Park. The park, according to the Ugandan government, will be critical in transforming the country's economy which is largely dependent on agriculture. When fully operational, Kehong China-Uganda Agricultural Industrial Park is expected to produce about 600,000 tons of agro-products annually to meet the domestic and regional market demands. Among the agro-products include rice. EMPLOYMENT Zhong argued that massive investment in rice growing in Uganda will not only boost food security but also create employment. He said for every youth employed at the Zhong's Industries Ltd rice farm, there are several people who benefit. Abel Mfitumukiza, a supervisor at the farm said after several years of looking for formal employment with no success, he left his home district Kisoro in southwestern Uganda and sought to work on the rice farm on recommendation of his brother who was already an employee at the farm. Mfitumukiza said over the years he has managed to build a permanent house for his family back at home. He also uses part of his savings to pay school fees for his siblings who were on the verge of dropping out of school. According to the managers of Kehong China-Uganda Agricultural Industrial Park, when the park is fully operational, it will create 25,000 jobs and avail opportunities of training for the local people. ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN Under the country's wetland restoration drive, there is increasing concern from environmentalists over the cultivation of rice in wetlands. The activists argue that the farmers should instead resort to upland rice farming instead of what they called destroying wetlands. Ministry of water and environment figures show that the country's wetland coverage has reduced to 8 percent from 13 percent of the country's land surface. The reduction is attributed to the population pressure where people are now resorting to wetland reclamation to farm. Zhong's Industries Ltd rice farm has faced this criticism but Zhong said they got clearance from the country's National Environment Management Authority. Richard Vvuube, senior environment officer Kalungu district where the farm is located told Xinhua that there is need to strike a balance between protecting the environment and also producing food and creating employment. "We will advise them on how to protect and conserve the environment and at the same time we are getting the food," Vvuube said. Original source: Xinhua published: 2019-7-2 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Zambian government says willing to cooperate with China to boost agricultural productionZambian government says willing to cooperate with China to boost agricultural production Zambian gov't says partnering with China to boost agricultural production NDOLA, Zambia, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese investments in Zambia's agricultural sector will enhance technology adoption in the country's farming industry, which will result in higher food productivity, a senior government official has said. Minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo said in an interview with Xinhua early this week that Zambia is partnering with foreign investors, especially the Chinese in the farming industry to improve national food production. "Our partnering with Chinese in agriculture sector will scale up investment in the farming industry in our country," he said, adding the Chinese have shown an interest in investing in the country's aquaculture sector. Katambo said Zambia should be turned into a regional food basket in the next few years because of the anticipated increase in investment. Agriculture sector is one of the major revenue generation contributors towards Zambia's economic growth, he added. The government, he said, has set aside 100,000 hectares of land across provinces to open up farming activities on a commercial basis. "We are encouraging all our private partners to help develop the undeveloped farming blocks across the country. We want to be a food basket in the southern region," he said. This, he said, can only be achieved when the agriculture sector engages in modern agriculture technology to enhance farming activities. According to him, the construction of multi-purpose dams such as Muwomboshi dam in Central province and Kafulafuta dam on the Copperbelt province will help harness water for improved irrigation activities. "Farmers will benefit a lot to grow food all year round through enhanced irrigation system," he said. Original source: Xinhua published: 2019-5-11 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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China Vigorously Developing Agricultural Cooperation with Countries Along "the belt and road initiative"China Vigorously Developing Agricultural Cooperation with Countries Along "the belt and road initiative" China Touts Agriculture Cooperation with Belt-Road Countries China's investment in foreign agricultural projects is booming, according to statistics peddled by Chinese agricultural officials during last weekend's "Belt and Road" summit held in Beijing. China Central TV reported that China has 850 foreign agricultural-related projects in commodities such as rice, corn, soybeans, natural rubber, palm oil, cotton and livestock that reflect "deepening cooperation" with "Belt and Road" countries. According to Ma Hongtao, director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Foreign Cooperation Office, China has 657 agricultural projects in Belt and Road countries valued at $9.4 billion, up 70 percent from five years earlier. 89 percent of investments are carried out by private entities, the official said. Ms. Ma explained that investments had evolved from an early focus on crop production to a broader collection of processing, transportation, storage, and ambitions to pull along industry development and create employment in the target countries. She said over 400 "senior agricultural experts" had been dispatched to developing countries for training and demonstration since 2014. Official Chinese statistics show that agriculture, forestry, and fishing investment abroad has been slowing. Annual outbound investment flows rose rapidly from $500 million in 2010 to a peak of $3.3 billion in 2016. In 2017 outbound ag investment slowed to $2.2 billion and it slowed again to $1.8 billion in 2018. This reflects a general slowdown in outbound investment as authorities put the clamps on outflows of cash. These statistics don't include major investments in processing such as the purchase of Smithfield Foods (which is actually owned by a holding company listed in Hong Kong) or COFCO's purchases of agricultural trading companies. Source: China Statistical Yearbooks The official statistics show agriculture, forestry, and fishing is the smallest sector for China's outbound foreign investment. Since 2005, ag-forestry-fishing has accounted for between 1.1 and 1.8 percent of all outbound foreign investment. The stock of China's outbound foreign direct investment in agriculture, forestry and fishing was $6.56 billion at the end of 2017, accounting for 0.9 percent of China's total outbound FDI. At one of a dozen forums held last week, China's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Changfu said stronger cooperation in agriculture is "urgently needed" to address lagging agricultural infrastructure, low quality of products, and insufficient "food security capacity" in many countries. China aspires to promote policy coordination, market integration, investment increase, upgrades of agriculture in partner countries. China plans to send out 500 agricultural experts in the next three years to help developing countries raise production capacity, Han said. Han called for expanded contacts in trade of agricultural products, lower trade barriers, mutually open markets, formation of equal and mutual long-term stable relations between trade partners; creation of an open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory agricultural economic and trade environment; more sharing of achievements in science and technology, a stronger focus on cooperation in science and technology, technology practice demonstration bases and industry parks, and exploration of new models for technology and research extension. Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Qu Dongwu promised major efforts in multilateral and "south-south" cooperation with countries on the Belt and Road. Agricultural officials from Argentina, Pakistan, Mozambique, and Tajikistan recited their ambitions to expand agricultural trade and cooperation with China. Another article in State media highlighted efforts to develop new points of entry to create a "green channel" for agricultural products from Central Asian countries. A complex of farms on China's Alashankou border crossing will quarantine thousands of live animals imported from Kazakstan. The first phase of the 660-million-yuan project built by CITIC Construction Ltd Co (a subsidiary of a State-owned investment company) will be able to hold 100,000 cattle, 30,000 sheep, and 12,000 donkeys and horses after its planned opening in October 2019. A second phase will expand capacity next year. China has been upgrading border crossings from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan and streamlining of customs clearance processes since 2015, the article said. China's Xinjiang region now has 4 designated entry points for grain, 3 for fruit, 2 for fish and shellfish products, and 1 for planting material; 7 meat entry points and 1 for fruit have been approved. The article highlights horses for slaughter, sheep meat, aquaproducts, wheat, wheat bran, and soybeans from Kazakhstan; fish products, mangoes, tangerines from Pakistan; cherries and mung beans from Uzbekistan; cherries from Tajikistan; breeding horses and cherries from Kyrgyzstan; Belarus poultry; Mongolian frozen horse meat; and plants used for Chinese traditional medicine. Earlier this month, 600 metric tons of Kazakh wheat arrived with much fanfare at a free trade zone in Lanzhou, Gansu province, built to process imports from Central Asia. The wheat was trucked from Kazakhstan to the Lanzhou zone where it cleared customs. A pharmaceutical company in the Lanzhou zone called Haixiang Biotech Ltd Co will sell the wheat to be used as animal feed in Chongqing and Chengdu. The shipment is said to be a demonstration of plans for expanded trade in grain and oils with Central Asia. One rationale for boosting the trade is to utilize empty shipping containers returning to China from Europe. The Assistant manager of the company operating the free trade zone told State media that the zone will work hard to attract companies through tax rebates, land lease fees, and electricity rates. Original source: Dim Sums published: 2019-5-11 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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China's Yili agrees to buy New Zealand's WESTLAND MILK for $0.404 billionChina's Yili agrees to buy New Zealand's WESTLAND MILK for $0.404 billion CHINA'S YILI AGREES TO BUY NZ'S WESTLAND MILK FOR US$404M Hongkong Jingang Trade Holding Co., Limited (“Jingang”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili), the largest dairy company in Asia (with a 22 percent market share) has agreed to fully acquire New Zealand's Westland Milk for NZ$588 million (US$404 million). Westland is the second largest dairy company in New Zealand after Fonterra, accounting for up to approximately 4 percent of the raw milk supplied in the country, and sells its products to more than 40 countries around the world. But because of Westland's inability to offer competitive milk prices, a strategic review was conducted by the Board, which when finished, launched Project Horizon, a process to explore future capital and ownership options for the company that would provide a long-term solution to its shareholders, said the company in a statement. The Board engaged with more than 35 interested parties looking to either fully acquire, merge, or invest in Westland. This group was narrowed down to a short list of parties that participated in detailed financial, legal, and operational due diligence. “Under the proposed transaction our shareholder farmers who are existing suppliers upon the implementation of the scheme will receive the benefit of Westland's (under the new ownership) commitment (which is guaranteed by Jingang) to collect milk and pay a competitive payout of a minimum of the Fonterra Farm Gate Milk Price for 10 seasons from the season commencing 1 August 2019," said chairman Pete Morrison. Yili has had a presence in New Zealand since 2013, when it acquired South Catebury-based Oceania. In the years since, Yili had invested RMB 3 billion (US$442 million) to establish UHT, milk powder, and infant formula production lines for Oceania. “The board believes that the proposed transaction represents the best available outcome for our shareholders, and has the unanimous support of the Board," said Morrison. “The acquisition price represents an attractive price to the Westland shares' nominal value. Westland will seek shareholder approval for the proposed transaction at a special shareholder meeting which is expected to be held in early July 2019 ." A Strong NZ Sector This is the second large-scale deal in as many weeks in New Zealand dairy. In mid-March, Milltrust International and Milltrust Agricultural Investments (MAI) announced the acquisition of a 24.9 percent stake in Waitonui Milltrust Agricultural Holdings (WMAH), a newly launched entity owned in partnership with a consortium of New Zealand investors. The announcement of the WMAH acquisition represents the consolidation of a string of investments made over the past six months that together culminate in the formation of a large-scale, integrated dairy and beef farming enterprise. With assets valued at more than $125 million, WMAH manages a portfolio of farms and related assets totaling 3,500 hectares across both the North Island and South Island. Combined, the farms milk 10,000 cows and produce more than four million kilograms of milk per year, making WMAH one of the largest suppliers to Fonterra, the top dairy processor in New Zealand. Despite the difficulties faced by Westland, New Zealand's production model, and its close geographic proximity to high-demand Asian markets, saw the country offering its farmers highest prices for milk in the world as of July of last year. As the calendar turned to 2019, China was ranked first in dairy imports, accounting for 26 percent of global shipments. Of this volume, New Zealand accounts for 40 percent, significantly outpacing all other suppliers. Concurrently a new report issued by the Global Dairy Trade revealed that the first dairy auction of 2019 reflected the third consecutive increase for global dairy prices, rising another 2.8 percent. The deal for Westland, however, must still overcome certain hurdles before it can close, requiring an approval vote from a minimum 75 percent of shareholders (in each asset class), and more than 50 percent of all shareholders entitled to vote. It must also gain approval from the High Court in accordance with section 236 of the New Zealand Companies Act, approval under the Overseas Investment Act, among other customary conditions. If approved, Yili CEO Zhang said that it would spark an immediate competitive milk price for Westland's farmers, and an immediate sharing of expertise gained over the years by each of the companies. “We believe we are offering farmers shareholders a stronger financial future, and greater access to international markets ," said Zhang. “In return, we are asking to become the custodians of one of New Zealand's most trusted brands - Westland Milk - with all of the knowledge, history, and expertise that comes along with that ." -Lynda Kiernan published: 2019-4-12 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Chinese companies invest in cotton plantations in CambodiaChinese companies invest in cotton plantations in Cambodia Chinese firm to invest in cotton plantations by Sum Manet Chinese firm Jiangsu Lianfa is now crop testing in Pursat province, in the country's west, and will start growing cotton on 180 hectares of land if test results are satisfactory, according to a company representative. The representative, who did not want to be named, said the company is so far happy with the results. “This is our first test. If yields are as high as the company expects, we will test a second time, this time on 180 hectares," the representative said. The company plans to maximise profit by rotating crops. Besides cotton, soybean and corn will also be grown, the representative said. The cotton harvested at the plantation will be processed by the company and supplied to textile factories around the world, including two in Pursat - Jincheng Garment Factory and Hengyu Garment Factory. Pursat agricultural department director Lay Piseth said the company has brought 20 types of cotton seeds from China to determine which are the most suitable for the region's land and climate. “As the company expands their operations, they will need more cotton, so our farmers will be very busy supplying them. “I heard that the company is also considering building a cotton-processing factory," he said, adding that if the factory is built, his department will contact Jiangsu Lianfa to urge the company to enter contract farming schemes with farmers in the province, which will guarantee a stable market and price for the farmers. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture on Nov 22 during Minister Veng Sakhon's visit to Jiangsu province, in China's eastern-central coast. Original source: Khmer Times published: 2019-2-12 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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China Agricultural Assistance (for Pakistan)China's agricultural aid Chinese help in agriculture by Mohiuddin Aazim Agriculture in Pakistan will soon begin witnessing the increased footprint of Chinese cooperation. But how much this cooperation will help accelerate our agricultural growth - and at what cost - remains to be seen. During Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to China, Islamabad and Beijing inked a few initial agreements on agriculture; on the basis of which detailed frameworks of cooperation in the field of crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry will be developed and implemented. Officials say that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed during Mr Khan's visit provides the basis for attracting Chinese investment and Chinese technical assistance in all sub-sectors of agriculture. Officials are tight-lipped about the issue of land acquisition and unclear about financing modalities “From strengthening the seed sector, increasing crop yield, modernising livestock and fisheries and enlarging our forest cover, there is a long list of areas in which Chinese funds and technical cooperation will be coming in," says a senior official of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. “Whereas it's true that we'll develop detailed frameworks for implementation of the Pakistan-China cooperation agreement, it's wrong to assume that none exists right now. A number of such frameworks are already in place since 2015 - when the CPEC master agreement was signed - and implementation on them continues," he said. Officials, however, are tight-lipped about the critical issue of land acquisition in Pakistan by Chinese state-run or private firms for furthering cooperation in agriculture. That was an important feature of the CPEC long-term plan. After the prime minister's visit, facts regarding land leasing to the Chinese must now be revealed. Will leasing be allowed? If yes, to what extent? And what else has been agreed to? Silence on this subject can lead to unrest among the farming community and prove counterproductive. Chinese companies have already been engaged in development of hybrid paddy and wheat seeds in Pakistan. Sinochem Group Agriculture Division, for example, has been running pilot projects at 200 sites in Pakistan including experimental bases and local farms. A hybrid rice variety developed and cultivated by a Pakistan rice research and exporting company in collaboration with Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co, has already been exported to the Philippines. In the seed manufacturing industry, Syngenta Pakistan is aggressively increasing its market share after China took over the Switzerland-based Syngenta in the middle of 2017, industry officials say. In the follow-up to Mr Khan's visit to China, delegations of Chinese companies are expected to visit Pakistan. Government officials say details of the Chinese investment commitment in agriculture will become known after the event. “But it would be naïve to expect that Chinese investment will start pouring into our agriculture sector automatically," says a Sindh government official working on the province's long-term agriculture policy. “Chinese companies that are already here are all working in active partnership with local companies or federal or provincial institutions. They will continue to take this relationship one-notch further every time they decide to increase their level of cooperation. This effectively means we must prepare ourselves to work with them," he opined. Sindh is about to unveil its agriculture policy for 2018-2030 and officials working on it say that similar to Punjab, where Chinese and other foreign companies have been actively engaged in agricultural development, Sindh also wants to seek greater international cooperation. “In fact, we have also developed an external borrowing manual in collaboration with the federal government to enhance governance and transparency levels in foreign-funded projects," one official who has worked on the manual told this writer. Increased inter-provincial harmony and improved federal-provincial relationship is a must in promoting the sector. “We're going to invite officials from the agriculture departments of all provinces as well as private sector stakeholders to develop an inclusive roadmap for agricultural growth," a federal government official said adding “we need that roadmap to ensure that the Chinese investment in agriculture fits well into an integrated growth strategy ." About three years ago, the Pakistani and Chinese governments had identified a couple of areas for cooperation in agriculture and China had promised to build agriculture demonstration centres across Pakistan and supply seeds and machinery to Pakistani farmers. Authorities have so far not shared with the public how many of such demonstration centres have been built and the arrangement under which the Chinese are supplying seeds and agriculture machinery. According to an MOU signed in this regard in October 2015, Pakistan was to use Chinese capital, technology and experience to improve irrigation, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance water use efficiency. Officials with background knowledge of agricultural programmes under CPEC say work is progressing on the above-mentioned and several other areas of agriculture development and poverty alleviation. They further add that under the current MOU signed, modalities of financing of agricultural projects must have been fine-tuned. “Currently it is difficult to say how much of the Chinese funding we can expect in state grants and loans, and how much through foreign direct investment of Chinese companies," a federal government official explained. Some projects like those of farm-to-market road networks that are connected with storage, packaging and processing units, fall under infrastructure development in CPEC wherein long-term state funding can rightly be expected. But both state-run Chinese institutions and companies will be involved in other projects like construction of modern slaughter houses or pulses, tea and oilseeds crop cultivation or deepening of agricultural research programmes. Original source: Dawn published: 2018-12-10 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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China's Major Agricultural Provinces Share Wisdom with Countries along "the belt and road initiative"China's Major Agricultural Provinces Share Wisdom with Countries along "the belt and road initiative" China's major agricultural province shares wisdom with B &R countries "With just a few clicks of the mouse, Chinese farmers can sell their products to places thousands of miles away from their home. That's amazing," said Ismaev Malik, a 39-year-old farmer from Kyrgyzstan, during his visit to an e-commerce company that makes the online sales possible for farmers in Puyang City of central China's Henan Province. Malik's visit was part of the courses offered by a training school in Puyang which was founded to provide training for local village chiefs. In recent months, the school has joined an assistance program to share Chinese wisdom and knowledge on agriculture with foreign officials and agricultural experts from countries along Belt and Road. In addition to Malikhas, a group of nearly 30 trainees from Kyrgyzstan's agriculture sector also attended the course covering topics on farming and processing, the operation of agricultural machinery and etc., lasting until Nov. 13. Malik was a steelworker before the steel factory he worked with went down in 2012. He was then employed by a Chinese company that has acquired a collapsing local farm and turned it into the region's biggest farm. After working with the Chinese company, Malik has learned how to raise sheep, cows and chicken. Moreover, the job brings him more than 3,000 yuan (about 430 US dollars) each month, two times of his previous income at the steel factory. "The corn output of our farm has doubled thanks to the quality seeds, advanced technology and equipment brought by the Chinese company. Now, the farm has nearly 600 employees, helping to relieve the local unemployment pressure," Malik said. "So I want to learn more during my time in China ." "Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country short of arable land; China's irrigation and deep processing technologies will be very helpful," according to Mambetova Zhazgul, an agricultural official from Kyrgyzstan. The training also organized discussions and meetings for trainees to exchange ideas and seek business opportunities with Chinese enterprises. During a meeting, more than 10 potential agreements have been reached, according to the organizer. In addition to the courses Malik attended, the training school in Puyang has also provided courses on poverty alleviation and community development for trainees from South Sudan. In recent years, China has shared its experience and wisdom with more developing countries, especially countries along the Belt and Road. The training programs cover a wide range of fields including plantation, agricultural machinery and the prevention and control of animal diseases. "The agricultural development not only depends on investment but also requires good management and advanced technology," said Luo Ming who works with the international exchange office of China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. "We expect that our foreign trainees will bring back the experience after learning about the agricultural management in China ." "I am lucky to have a bond with China," said Malik in fluent Chinese who has become an expert of livestock farming." I am also looking forward to more visits to China and more Chinese investment in Kyrgyzstan ." Original source: Xinhua published: 2018-12-10 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Shanghai Pengxin transfers $0.567 billion to Brazil after rejecting Kidman's stake saleShanghai Pengxin transfers $0.567 billion to Brazil after rejecting Kidman's stake sale Shanghai's Pengxin diverted $567 million to Brazil after snub on Kidman sale by Su-Lin Tan Shanghai-based conglomerate Pengxin redirected the $US400 million ($567 million) it was prepared to pay for Australia's largest private land holding, S. Kidman & Co, into investments in Brazil after it was snubbed by then treasurer Scott Morrison in 2016, a move that "discouraged the conglomerate from looking for further deals in Australia ". A former senior executive of Pengxin who was close to the deal said there was a "bitter aftertaste" when its $371 million bid for S.Kidman, which owns almost 11 million hectares of cattle stations including the world's largest, Anna Creek, was blocked in 2016. The bid was made through Pengxin's subsidiary Hunan Dakang Farming Pasture. Pengxin moved on and took the $US400 million as well as another $US200 million and invested it in deals in Brazil. Information from the new Chinese Investment in Australia (CHIIA) Database created by Australian National University in collaboration with Treasury shows that Chinese investments in Australia slumped 40 per cent last year, twice the drop worldwide. While concerns the decline in Chinese interests in Australia was caused by poor China-Australia political relations worsened by xenophobic tensions, Chinese deal intermediaries such as lawyers and agents say economic reasons precede political ones. Tight capital flows and softening returns particularly in the most popular Chinese asset group, residential property, are mostly responsible for the departure of investments, says legal firm Hall & Wilcox, which handles a large volume of deals in Australia. "The largest transactions at the height of Chinese investments in Australia were mainly property projects including residential development but the slowdown in the property market and clampdown on investors both local and Chinese have a lot to do with the drop in number and value of investments," Hall & Wilcox's head of China practice, Eugene Chen, said. "The detour from property has led to more interests in smaller deals like agribusiness, supply chain businesses, 'daigou' businesses and smaller deals in health businesses, so a fall in value of investments is significant ." Golden Week loses gloss While they were not all gone, a large gap was still felt, Mr Chen added. Some clients cited an overexposure to Australia and lack of bank funding for investments. A Sydney hotel deal-maker who targets Chinese capital said the waiting time to "move" $10 million out of China had usually been about a year, but now was almost "indefinite ". "It feels like Chinese investors are not allowed to move anything out any more," he said. "And if there are racial issues stopping them, they will never say so to save face ." For those who are still investing, they are interested in smaller and more income-producing deals like office blocks, Knight Frank Head of Asian markets Dominic Ong said. "The [Chinese] real estate market sentiment is average. There are still some Chinese buyers looking but they are looking at other kinds of asset classes, more passive ones like offices," Mr Ong said. Even on the retail level, Chinese trade is slowly fading away. Big Chinese holidays such as Golden Week last week used to be house-buying sprees for Chinese travelling overseas, but this year's Golden Week was dire, local agents say. The combination of tougher penalties and higher surcharges on foreign purchases of property and concerns over racial hostility have turned away smaller mum and dad buyers. Original source: AFR published: 2018-11-11 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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(In Thailand) Chinese investors have changed the way agriculture is produced in the NorthChinese investors shift agriculture practices in North By JINTANA PANYAARVUDH TWO YEARS ago, Prasat Prueangwichahorn, a Thai driver in a Chinese banana plantation in Laos, saw a business opportunity when Laos ordered a ban on new banana plantations out of concerns for the environment and workers. He brought some seedlings of Chinese Cavendish bananas, or kluay hom kheaw, to his hometown in Phayao's Chun district and found that they flourished. So, he leased a 200-rai (32-hectare) plot from villagers and started his own plantation, called “Huay Kieng ”. “I was lucky to have worked in a 'safe' agricultural zone in Laos, and learned many things, especially how to grow fruit without using dangerous chemicals," he explained. Over the past two years, Chinese investors appear to have invaded provinces in the North, such as Chiang Rai and Phayao, to grow Cavendish bananas after the practice was banned in Laos. Locals and NGOs, however, have voiced concerns about Chinese-run plantations using pesticides excessively and giving rise to conflicts over water. Cavendish bananas are widely consumed in China because it is said to be good for health. And thanks to the seven years he spent in Laos, Prasat built connections with Chinese businessmen and now exports the fruit to China, Vietnam and the Middle East. He sends off some five containers, or a total of 100 tonnes, every eight months to the three countries. His income before expenses per container is about Bt1 million. Prasat said this business would do even better if Chinese investors could take over large tracts of land and allow plantations to be controlled by Thais. “But it's hard to do that in the North, because the land is divided into small plots for villagers," he explained, adding that sometimes it is difficult to meet all the orders. This why, he said, he decided to go into contract farming, following Chinese investors' practices with hilltribes such as Hmong, Man and Yao living on the border with Laos. Prasat sells banana saplings to his luk rai, or contract farmers, and teaches them how to get a good harvest of top quality fruit. He also finds them foreign buyers. “I don't take any commission or profit, but if both sides are generous they give me something," he said, though he does sometimes struggle when contract farmers fail to pay him for the saplings. Chinese influence Though Prasat appears to be setting a good example by not using too many chemicals in his plantation, the Chinese-run farms are still posing big concerns in terms of environment, labour and farmers. Contract farming for Cavendish bananas began in the North of Thailand two years ago, according to an ongoing study titled “Shifting Agricultural Plantation, Chinese Influence, and its Impacts on the Agriculture Security of Northern Thailand ”. Due to the Chinese-driven boom and expansion of the export market, fruit growers in the North had to adjust to contract farming, Chiang Mai University Sociology and Anthropology lecturer Panitda Saiyarod, who is leading the study, said. Under this system, small-scale Thai firms act like investors and sell banana seedlings to contract farmers, and provide them with advice and farming techniques until the fruit can be harvested. However, since China has strict quality controls in terms of size and weight, inexperienced Thai growers face the risk of their crop being rejected, the researcher said. Supported by the Thailand Research Fund, the study also found that Chinese investors preferred to own and operate huge banana plantations. “Chinese investors invest in large plantations in other countries, because there they can have full control on the management and ensure highest production," Panitda said. This pattern of investment was found in Chiang Rai, where a 2,700-rai banana plantation has been leased by Phaya Mengrai Agriculture Limited Partnership. The firm is owned by Chinese-Thai investors, with the lion's share of the firm held by locals, as Thai law does not allow foreigners to majority own or lease land for commercial agricultural purposes. Another interesting finding is the higher incentive offered to workers. Chinese-owned plantations pay as much as Bt300 a day to labourers, but a major share of the work is taken over by migrant workers, affecting the bargaining power of local labourers. Panitda raised concerns about workers' rights being abused and the lack of proper healthcare benefits. She also pointed out that measures to protect the environment were still weak. Hence, she said, the authorities should screen all foreign investors and strictly enforce public land laws to ensure resources are fairly shared between big business owners and communities. Her study also learned that Thai agricultural goods exporters relied heavily on China, and that the mainland is one of the biggest buyers of bananas from Thailand. Though statistics show a continuous increase in exports from 2014 to 2017, the value of banana exports last year alone rose to 48.82 per cent to around Bt350 million. These figures were released by the Information and Communication Technology Centre of the Office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Commerce as well as the Customs Department. “But with volatile cultivation prices, farmers are earning less and their debts could rise. This will certainly affect their lives in the future," she concluded. Original source: The Nation release date: 2018-10-9 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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Sierra Leone: Hunan, China to plant 35000 hectares of riceSierra Leone: Hunan, China to plant 35000 hectares of rice Sierra Leone: China Hunan to cultivate 35,000 hectares of rice The Minister of Agriculture Jonathan Joseph Ndanema has revealed that a company in the Hunan State in China will cultivate 35,000 hectares of rice. The Minister said his Ministry is committed in ensuring they promote public private partnership toward achieving rice exportation from the present status stressing that apart from the 35,000 hectares of rice farm to be cultivated by the company, they had as well expressed interest in the area of planting 10,000 hectares of rubber in the country. Minister Ndanema said based on the proactive moves by the government one of the best high breed rice seeds research institute in China along with the Hunan state based company will jet in the country to kick start the already planned activities. He said this moves would help in changing the narratives in the country from importation into export. -- State House Media and Communications Unit | September 10, 2018 Changsha, Hunan Province, China, Thursday 6 September 2018 - His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio was hosted by the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Centre located at Mapoling, Furong District, Changsha, Hunan Province where he was addressed by scientists. Welcoming the President and delegation the “Father of Hybrid Rice” in China and principal scientist, Professor Yuan Longping, said that the centre and staff were very privileged to host President Bio of the Republic of Sierra Leone. Professor Longping said that the centre was established in 1995 and it was the first research institute specialised in hybrid rice development both at home and abroad. President Bio and his team were also told that since Professor Yuan Longping proposed the technical route for super hybrid rice breeding, which is combining ideal plant type with inter-subspecific heterosis in 1997, the centre had made significant progress in super hybrid rice research and the yield targets of 10.5, 12.0, 13.5 and 15.0 t/hm for Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV of Chinese super rice breeding. The Chinese Professor also proposed the new plant type model for super hybrid rice breeding in 2012 and developed super hybrid rice variety called “Super 1000”, which reached 16 t/hm in 2015, 17 t/hm in 2017 and now striding towards the target of 18 t/hm. He said that currently, in order to thoroughly implement food security strategy of storing grains inland and technology, the centre was actively exploring new rice breeding technology which is green, organic and safe. Longping assured the President that it would be a pleasure to help Sierra Leone achieve food security as much as he can. Responding, President Bio thanked the centre for the warm reception accorded him and his team. He said that because of a series of challenges Sierra Leone has not been able to feed itself and now importing at least US$200 million of rice every year. President Bio said that his visit to the centre was to learn about the great work they do on rice production and to see how Sierra Leone can benefit from that. “I want to be able to provide an opportunity to feed the nation," President Bio said. President Bio also appealed to the Centre that he would like to see students from Sierra Leone giving an opportunity to study at the centre. With Professor Yuan Longping about 90 years-old now, President Bio said that if he had the chance he would like to take Longping to Sierra Leone to be able to see how we can improve on agriculture and rice cultivation. Because of his age, Professor Longping said that he would send his team of experts to Sierra Leone. Later, President Bio and team were taken to the Super Hybrid Rice Experimental Field of the Research Centre where the President and Team were briefed on the ongoing rice experiment. Earlier and in furtherance to his commitment on food security, His Excellency President Bio also held a meeting with Hainan International Group in Shanghai where he told them that his ambition was to reduce rice importation in the next five years and that his Government would provide all necessary support for that ambition to be achieved. During a follow-up meeting between Hainan International Group and the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Joseph Ndanema, Hainan International agreed to plant 35,000 hectares of rice out of which the Group will start planting 5,000 hectares for the first phase. Every year China takes 10 million people out of poverty and throughout his visit, President Bio kept asking the question: “If China can take 10 million people out of poverty every year, why can't Sierra Leone take 7 million people out of poverty ?" During the election campaign, President Bio promised economic diversification and the agriculture sector is one area he intends to use for his economic diversification. Like with many other promises, President Bio is only delivering on his election promise to diversify the economy. Original source: Awoko release date: 2018-10-9 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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(To Ghana) China to invest $0.5 billion in cotton cultivation(To Ghana) China to invest $0.5 billion in cotton cultivation Ghana's Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disclosed that one of the biggest cotton producers in China, Xing Jiang Shian Yon Group Company Limited, has decided to invest $500 million in cotton farming in the Northern Region. The minister, who made this known during a durbar organized for District Agric Directors in the Northern Region, said the Chinese company is ready to invest $500 million for period of six years in the Northern Region. He indicated that the company intends to cultivate 20,000-100,000 hectares of cotton in the region. The minister said the company has already sent its technical team to the Northern Region to facilitate the investment in the region. Dr Afriyie hinted that some textiles that would be produced would be exported to China. “The project will create many jobs for the youth in the Northern Region which will also attract people from the neighboring countries ." “When the project starts, the young girls who travel to the south to work as 'Kayayei' will come back home to work and earn a living through the project. He assured farmers in the Northern Region that the government would alleviate poverty in the region and the whole country at large by focusing on smallholder farmers who are the poorest in the country. “The Northern Region has the best potential for food production in Ghana and we want to take full advantage and help mother Ghana," he disclosed. Dr. Afriyie said there would be significant provision of farm machinery in Northern Region and Ghana in general. He expressed happiness about the effective usage of the 1 million bags of fertilizer allocated to farmers in the region. FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale Original source: Daily Guide Africa published: 2018-9-12 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli