World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
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UAE company starts production of agricultural products in UzbekistanUAE company starts production of agricultural products in Uzbekistan UAE company to start producing agricultural products in Uzbekistan By Abdul Kerimkhanov Phoenix Agro Industry and Trade Company CA (UAE) plans to enter the Uzbek market, Uzbek media reported. This became known following the negotiations with representatives of the UAE company, which took place in the State Investment Committee. Phoenix Agro Industry and Trade Company CA is a global agri-food group engaged in manufacturing, supplying, processing and selling through an integrated supply chain. The company is engaged in projects in more than 20 countries around the world, including Ukraine and Russia. Today, there is an active expansion of cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, for example, more than $130 million have been invested in Kazakhstan. "In connection with the favorable conditions for investment created in the country, the company expressed a desire to invest in Uzbekistan, in particular, in the cultivation and processing of agricultural products," the State Investment Committee said. During the talks, the need to introduce the most advanced technologies in the agrarian sector of Uzbekistan was noted in order to increase crop yields, in particular, new types of equipment, innovative agricultural technologies, and crop rotation practices. Representatives of Phoenix Agro Industry and Trade Company CA expressed their intention to invite the world's leading agronomists to Uzbekistan to study the land plots allocated for investment, as well as to hold a training seminar for interested farmers of the republic. Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates were established on October 25, 1992. Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have created a joint fund of foreign direct investment worth $ 1 billion on October 3, 2018. Currently, Uzbekistan has more than 90 enterprises established with the participation of UAE investments, 36 of them with 100 percent UAE capital. Uzbekistan's main exports consist of raw cotton fiber, silk, agricultural products and services. Import from the UAE consists of mechanical and electrical equipment, coffee, tea, furniture, plastics and rubber products, vehicles, clothing and sports equipment. Original source: Azer News published: 2019-1-11 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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New Saudi investment in Sudanese agricultureNew Saudi investment in Sudanese agriculture New Saudi Investments in Sudan's agriculture by Saif al-Yazel Babaker Saudi Arabia and Sudan have launched a new agricultural partnership as part of the implementation of the Arab food security initiative. High hopes are pinned on this initiative, in which Arab states would reduce annual expenses on importing food products, which exceeds billions of dollars. Sudan would also exploit its agricultural lands, measured at more than 200 million acres, of which only 20 percent are being used. The Sudanese-Saudi partnership deal was signed Saturday in the northern River Nile region that boasts the agricultural investments of major Saudi companies. Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Ali Hassan bin Jaafar said that Riyadh and Khartoum are seeking to develop agricultural work, attain benefits for Sudanese farmers and fulfill the needs of Arab citizens. He spoke of the current program between their two countries aimed at building a strategic partnership that would serve as a model in developing Saudi-Sudanese ties in all fields. A prominent Sudanese official pledged to resolve all difficulties facing Saudi investments in Sudan, provide more facilitations to prepare the suitable work environment for Saudi investors and attract additional investments. Ochik Mohammed Ahmed Taher, Secretary-General of the National Investment Authority, stated that the authority will resolve all problems encountered by Saudi investors. Jaafar had held several meetings in Sudan as part of Saudi efforts to expand investment in the country. The ambassador had met with Taher, with both officials agreeing that Saudi investments should play a role in economic and social development in Sudan. Original source: Aawsat published: 2018-12-10 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Turkish agriculture sector starts funding for SudanTurkish agriculture sector starts funding for Sudan Turkish agriculture sector to begin fun ding in Sudan Turkish agricultural sector will be able to commence investments in Sudan's fields by 2019, minister says By Deniz Cicek ANKARA Turkish agricultural sector will be able to commence investments in Sudan's fields by 2019, Turkish agriculture minister told Anadolu Agency. An office of Turkish and Sudanese joint agricultural and livestock company was opened last week in the eastern African country's capital Khartoum, Bekir Pakdemirli said. Turkey's General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TIGEM) capitalized 80 percent of the joint-venture, while the Sudanese side capitalized 20 percent. The decision to found the company was made under a Turkish-Sudanese agricultural pact signed in 2014. The bilateral pact aims to rationalize the use of resources and agricultural potential and contribute to sustainable food objectives. Under the agreement, around 780,000 hectares in Sudan across five regions were earmarked for investment by Turkish entrepreneurs for 99 years. The new office will commence works to set a pilot farm in 12,500 hectares field, Pakdemirli said. He noted that Sudanese and Turkish sides will start investments together. “Infrastructure needs in there would be met. While doing model agricultural production in a small part of the pilot land, we will open the rest to private sector," Pakdemirli said. He stated that the project is based on a win-win principle and added that agricultural products in Sudan can be exported to other countries along with Turkey. Pakdemirli underlined that the project also aims to guarantee food supply by meeting agricultural products need which cannot be produced in Turkey due to climatic reasons. “Products will come with zero custom fees. The project will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in Sudan and its welfare," he said. Original source: Infosurhoy published: 2018-12-10 | Responsible 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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UAE and Uganda to establish world's first agricultural free zoneUAE and Uganda to establish world's first agricultural free zone UAE and Uganda to establish one of the world's first agricultural free zones by Charlie Mitchell The UAE signed a deal with Uganda on Monday to establish one of the world's only agricultural free zones in a bid to enhance food security in the Emirates. The 2,500 hectare free zone will allow private companies from the UAE to invest in agricultural production and development in Uganda. The UAE's Minister for Food Security, Mariam Al Mehairi, told The National that it will also act as a launch pad for further investment into east and central Africa. “There is a lot of potential to be unlocked in that area," she said. The agreement was signed at Agriscape, a two-day exhibition in Abu Dhabi convening dozens of producers, suppliers and investors from across the globe. It is expected to promote agribusiness between the two countries and will see UAE imports of Ugandan crops and beef rise. Food security - the accessibility of safe and nutritious food for all - is an area of critical importance for the UAE, where land is largely arid and water is scarce. As a result, the country imports around 90 per cent of its food and is pursuing mutually-beneficial opportunities in Africa and beyond. Talks began with the Ugandan government last year following the Gulfood exhibition in Dubai in February. Since then, around 14 Emirati companies have expressed interest in investing in Uganda, a spokesman for Uganda's agriculture minister told The National. The UAE will now look for similar, complimentary investments in surrounding countries. “Africa in general, from Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa to Nigeria and Zambia, is very promising," Khadim Al Darei, deputy chairman of Aldahara, the headline sponsor of Agriscape, said. “Currently only five per cent of African land has been utilised for agriculture and the consumers are also coming from Africa. Imagine if we find a way to tap into that. We would reduce speculation in prices and also feed the continent," he said. “How can it be that 800 million are suffering from hunger, while we have 600 million people suffering from obesity ?" Food security has topped agendas all over the world as temperatures rise, but it is perhaps most pressing in Africa, where hunger is widespread and conflict and political instability deter investors. With the continent's population expected to grow by 1.3 billion by 2050, farming yields will need to increase. Original source: The National published: 2018-11-11 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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EBRD launches new integrated agricultural strategyEBRD launches new integrated agricultural strategy EBRD launches new agribusiness strategy By Nibal Zgheib Responsible, sustainable and innovative approach for the next five years EBRD the most active multilateral institution in agribusiness in its regions EBRD investment in the agribusiness sector to date exceeds €6.7 billion Addressing the growing challenges that the agribusiness sector faces in the EBRD regions, the Bank has launched its new strategy for the sector for the period 2019 to 2023. Population growth and shifting dietary requirements are predicted to lead to a 50 per cent increase in food demand by 2050 which will have a clear impact on finite natural resources and the environment. The EBRD's new agribusiness strategy recognises the diversity of the economies where the Bank invests and responds to a changing environment by adopting a responsible, sustainable and innovative approach. The EBRD stands ready to support its approach with finance, technical cooperation and policy engagement. The Bank's involvement in the sector extends from primary agriculture along the entire value chain. Natalya Zhukova, EBRD Director for Agribusiness, welcomed the approval of the document by the Bank's Board of Directors: “The EBRD is the largest provider of finance to the agribusiness sector in its regions of operations. Food plays a fundamental role in our lives and an innovative mind set is needed to move towards a sustainable future in this sector ." The document recognises the need to find a balance between demand for agricultural produce and the impact that production processes often have on the environment. The strategy will be implemented with a tailored approach along the entire value chain to efficiently increase food production and preserve natural resources while reducing the environmental and social impact of agribusiness. In the economies where it invests, the EBRD is the most active multilateral institution in the agribusiness sector. The strategy will be implemented with an approach that is tailored to each of these economies. Between 2010 and 2017 the Bank invested €6.7 billion in 447 projects across the agribusiness sector, which represents 8 per cent of the EBRD's cumulative annual investment over that period. Original source: EBRD published: 2018-11-11 | 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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(Bangladesh) went to Sudan to acquire land for farmingMove to acquire lands in Sudan for farming by Kazi Zahidul Hasan The government has decided to acquire land in Sudan in a bid to explore commercial farming opportunities in the Northeast African country. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) on September 10 this year. An 11-member 'implementation taskforce,' headed by Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Kazi M. Aminul Islam, was formed, at the meeting, implement the government's decision on the land lease in Sudan. The committee has been directed to enact a roadmap detailing prospects of fisheries, livestock and agro-farming, assessment of existing policies of the host country, possible necessarily of time, preparing term of reference on lease target and review of the government policies regarding such investments abroad and recommend necessary amendments, if any. Senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, Agriculture, Foreign, Law, Fisheries and Livestock and Bangladesh Bank attended the meeting, with Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Affairs in the PMO in chair. Officials said, the September 10 meeting was a follow up initiative in light of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's directive issued on 23 August 2010 regarding long-term land lease in African countries, including Sudan, considering the country's long-term food security and volatile food prices in the global market. "We have decided to tap farming opportunity in Sudan considering the food security and food price volatility in the global market," Kazi M. Aminul Islam told The New Nation yesterday. He said that lands would be taken on lease for 99 years, to operate large commercial firms. Local business community earlier also sent proposal to consider tapping the emerging farming opportunities in Sudan. "Not only Sudan, we're also considering other African countries for investment in various potential sectors by local entrepreneurs," he added. Kazi M. Aminul Islam, however, said the government has taken a cautious policy on overseas investment considering various risk factors. "But, we will allow overseas investment under the cautious policy ." According to media report, many countries like Britain, the United States, China, India, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, South Africa, Israel and Egypt are also vying for land lease in other African nations such as Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, Ghana, Rwanda, Mozambique and Ethiopia analyzing opportunities in commercial agriculture there. The Indian and Chinese investors have already engaged in long-term land lease agreement with Sudanese government and operating large farms in Sudan. "Many Indian companies are already in the process of making a foray into the farming sector in Africa. We can also take the opportunity by accruing lands in these countries for growing high-value cash crops," said Kazi M. Aminul Islam. Original source: Daily New Nation release date: 2018-10-9 | Editor: Xie Jinli
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UAE's Al Dahra plans to invest $0.5 billion more in RomaniaUAE's Al Dahra to invest further $500m in Romania Abu Dhabi-based Al Dahra Holding said on Monday it will invest a further $500m in various sectors in the Romanian market after acquiring the largest farm producer there. Al Dahra, which has been expanding aggressively in eastern Europe in the last five years, said it had bought Romania's Agricost and Braila Island “recently”, but did not disclose a figure for the transactions. Countries in the Gulf, one of the world's biggest food importing regions, have stepped up efforts to buy and lease farmland in emerging economies to secure food supplies since 2007-2008, when food prices rose to record levels. “Al Dahra will look at acquiring additional farming land in Romania and will invest in modernising the existing portfolio of agricultural machinery and technology," Al Dahra said. It is targeting to reach a combined annual production of 1 million tonnes of grains by 2022, it said in a statement, adding that it plans buying a logistics operator at Constanta Port to facilitate grain exports and the import of fertilizers. In 2013, Al Dahra agreed to invest $400m by buying eight Serbian farm companies and develop them to grow and process food and fodder for export, in the biggest investment in Serbian agriculture for decades. Original source: Reuters 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
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Myanmar allows foreign investment in agriculture to be capped at 80%Myanmar allows up to 80% of foreign investment in agriculture sector by: Zeyar Nyein A farmer walks past the harvester in a paddy field in Kangyidauk, Ayeyawady. Photo: GNLM/Phoe Khwar Foreign businesses have been allowed to invest up to 80 percent in Myanmar's agriculture sector instead of 49 percent, according to Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). "Previously, the agriculture sector seemed to protect local businesses. At that time, a foreigner was allowed to invest 40 percent while a national had the chance to invest 51 percent. The restrictions were eased in 2016. The new law allows a lot more joint-venture businesses in agriculture sector. Now, a foreigner can invest up to 80 percent," said Than Aung Kyaw, deputy director general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). With this permission, investments in rice mills have increased to a certain degree. More investments have come to seed production businesses as foreigners are allowed to invest fully in them. "More investments come to seed production sector because foreigners have the opportunity to invest 100 percent," said Than Aung Kyaw. MIC is expecting more foreign investment in manufacturing value-added products in the country's agriculture sector. "We expect to manufacture more value added agriculture products," he said. According to MIC, local and foreign investment in Myanmar's agriculture sector has represented only less than 1 percent of the total investment in all sectors. Data from the DICA shows that up to June this year, foreign investment in the agriculture sector was valued at US$5.650 million. From 1988-1989 to 2017-2018 fiscal years, the value of foreign investment in the agriculture sector amounted to US$390.001 million. Published: 2018-8-23 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Vietnamese company to expand banana cultivation to export to ChinaHoang Anh Gia Lai Agriculture (HAGL) Jsc, Vietnam-based agriculture company, has announced to invest in another 5,000 ha land in Cambodia to grow bananas to export to China China has a demand for 15mn tonnes of bananas per year. (Image source: Shumpei Sano/Flickr) The company is expected to invest about US$42mn in the project. According to HAGL, most of the bananas will be exported to China by ship or road. The initiative is in line with Vietnam's aim to increase the export business of its agricultural products. China has a demand for 15mn tonnes of bananas per year. Doan Nguyen Duc, CEO of HAGL Agrico, said that with the recent move, the company is expected to supply about 240,000 tonnes. Apart from China, Duc also hopes to shift 20 per cent of the company's banana exports to South Korea and Japan, as reported by VnExpress International. HAGL aims to harvest more than 106,000 tonnes of bananas and earn revenues of about US$73mn and US$42mn in gross profit this year, said the source. With about 13,500 ha of farmlands in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, HAGL is also a major producer and exporter of dragon fruit and chilli in the region. In 2016, the company's fruit, banana, chili and dragon fruit crops fetched revenues of US$71mn, accounting for around 49 per cent of HAGL's total revenues. Published: 2018-8-23 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Russia offers 2.5 million acres of land to Chinese farmers, but will it ease China's soybean shortage?Russia offers 2.5 million acres of land to Chinese farmers, but will it ease Beijing's soybean shortage? by Sarah Zheng Russia has made 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of arable land available to foreign investors - and while that could be boon for Beijing as it struggles with limited supplies of soybeans in its trade war with the US, analysts are concerned about the quality of the plots available. Valery Dubrovskiy, director of investment for the Far East Investment and Export Agency, a non-profit organisation, said on Tuesday that several Chinese companies had already expressed an interest in the deal. “We expect most of the investment to come from China," he said. “We expect 50 per cent from China, 25 per cent from Russia and 25 per cent from other countries, like Japan and Korea ." The announcement means that all of the 3 million hectares of arable land in Russia's Far Eastern Federal District is now available to farmers, Dubrovskiy said, adding that the space is suitable for dairy farming or the growing of crops, such as soybeans, wheat and potatoes. While this reflects a significant increase in cooperation between Chinese agribusinesses and the Far East in recent years, observers are sceptical about the quality of the land being offered to foreign operators. Dmitri Rylko, general director of the Russian consultancy Institute for Agricultural Market Studies, said most of the fertile land in the Far East region had already been taken, although Chinese businesses had increasingly been signing leases and other temporary agreements. "[The] best lands are occupied and have been heavily exploited by domestic farmers, so if they want more, it will be predominately in remote and low productivity areas," he said. Moscow has been trying for years to attract foreign investment to develop the region's economy, including handing out free plots to Russians in 2016, said Jiayi Zhou, a researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "[But] basic infrastructure and transport are poor. Peri-urban land, which is better connected to the market, may be more attractive to developers, but less available," she said. With the China-US trade war showing no signs of abating, and after Beijing slapped 25 per cent tariffs on soybeans imported from America, the legume - for which China has a voracious appetite - is very much in the firing line. Chinese farmers may therefore be attracted by the offer of a huge swathe of cheap arable land in Russia's main soybean growing region. Beijing has already significantly reduced its soybean purchases from the US, and as a result bought a record 850,000 tonnes of them from Russia between July 2017 and the end of May, according to figures from the Russian agriculture agency Rosselkhoznadzor. But that represents only a fraction of the 800 million tonnes of soybeans China has imported so far this year, according to the latest figures from its customs agency. The agriculture ministry in Beijing said earlier it had ramped up domestic soybean production “significantly” to deal with the threat of shortages, and would make a further 1 million hectares of land available for growing the crop over the next two years. Zhang Xin, a Russian studies expert at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said that while Russia's offer of agricultural land was a sign of the apparent desire on both sides to increase cooperation, the deal still had obstacles to overcome. “In the Far East in particular there has been political resistance, including from residents, to Chinese companies renting land for agricultural production," he said. "[Their] concerns regard the large influx of Chinese workers and a dissatisfaction with Chinese farming methods … like using too many pesticides and fertilisers ." And while the decision to make the land available to foreign investors was probably made in Moscow, “whether it can be implemented smoothly depends on local acceptance in the Far East”, he said. Besides crops, the two countries have also boosted cooperation in the agricultural sector with Russia's purchases of pesticides and farm machinery from China. “But we need investment in the sphere of deep processing of agricultural products, rather than the usual cultivation of crops," Sinegovskiy Mikhail Olegovich, head of the economics team at the All-Russian Research Institute of Soybean. Published: 2018-8-23 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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German Agri-Terra group to invest in Paraguayan agricultureGerman Agri Terra Group offers investments in Paraguayan agriculture Founded by brothers Carsten and Michael Pfau in 2012, the Munich headquartered investment advisor Agri Terra has grown into a global player regarding investment opportunities in Paraguay. Hundreds of clients have used the services of the fast growing company in order to participate in projects such as cattle breeding, orange plantations or vegetable production in greenhouses in Paraguay, a landlocked country in the heart of South America. Based on the ongoing support from its investors, Agri Terra now finds itself among the top 1% of Paraguayan cattle owners, operates the third largest orange plantation in the country, and is among the most notable owners of greenhouses for the production of organic fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, the group holds a controlling interest in Paraguay's fifth largest fruit and vegetables wholesale company, and it has commissioned the development of Paraguay's most modern processing plant for orange juice concentrate. Agri Terra also plans a chain of whole food markets and a brand of freshly squeezed orange juice. All over the world, available agricultural land is decreasing as cities are growing, while at the same time an increasing world population requires more and more food. As a logical consequence, the value of farmland is increasing steadily. An asset as conservative as farmland is well on its way to become one of the most lucrative and interesting forms of investment once again. While long-term investors always appreciated land holdings for their inflation-proofed character, nowadays even short-term investors choose to invest in agriculture. No surprise, in times of low interest rates and overheated real estate and securities markets. Investments in agriculture have been neglected by most people over the last decades, especially since high-tech and new-tech segments spurred investor fantasies to all new highs. Traditional agro-investments stayed behind, reliable was considered to be boring. Nowadays, times are changing. Reliable might be boring, but people who feel that they have seen one too many financial crisis in their life, suddenly consider boring to be a good thing, something that allows investors to sleep well at night. For most people, however, investing in agriclture isn't as easy as it sounds. Most people wouldn't even know where to start, much less how to develop an agricultural project on their own. Agri Terra opens the door to lucrative agricultural projects with high yields and an equally high level of security. The company advises its clients regarding land purchase in Paraguay, and the group operates the acquired land on behalf of the owner. People all around the world become co-owners of large orange plantations, modern greenhouse operations, or traditional cattle farms, an offer that makes sure that an investor not only acquires valuable agricultural land, but also secures high returns from agro-operations. Agri Terra achieves debt-free equity financing of its growing enterprise, and investors secure a high-yield passive income from agriculture, for many decades, backed by deeded land in the investor's name. A true win-win situation for each and every party involved. Agri TerraGroup's innovative approach to agro-investments in Latin America has caught the attention of investors around the world. Once a two-man garage firm, the group now consists of nineteen independent companies, with offices in seven countries on three continents. Growth continues, and the sky seems to be the limit for Agri Terra. Published: 2018-8-23 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli
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Vineyard acquisition raises French concerns about Chinese investmentNikkei | 5 Juy 2018 Vineyard seizures highlight French worries about Chinese investments by TALLULAH LUTKIN PARIS -- French authorities have seized 10 wine chateaux owned by Chinese conglomerate Haichang Group as part of an investigation into alleged illegal financial activities. Judicial police say they have found evidence of money laundering and the use of irregular documents in the acquisition of vineyards. The case comes amid concerns in France about foreign investors, especially from China, taking over large swathes of farmland. The winery seizures were triggered by investigators' suspicions that fake deeds and the possible identity theft of a French solicitor may have been involved in a 30 million euros ($34.9 million) loan from the French branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and concerns about suspicious operations in offshore companies. Maxime Delhomme, a lawyer for Haichang, told French news agency AFP, "We have appealed against the ruling, which is only a seizure preventing us from selling and does not indicate guilt ." Haichang owns a total of 24 wine chateaux in the Bordeaux region which it bought for 55 million euros. Investigators have been concerned about the investments since a 2014 news report suggested that Chinese public money had been improperly used in the purchases. According to the report, Haichang and another company from the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian had been given 268 million yuan ($40.3 million) by local authorities to invest in foreign technology but instead used the funds to purchase French vineyards. Chinese investors have been buying up French vineyards at a breakneck pace over the last five years. An estimated 160 chateaux are now under Chinese ownership, up from 30 in 2012. The vast majority of acquisitions have been in the Bordeaux region, which is well-known among Chinese consumers. According to local estate agents, Chinese buyers are also attuned to the beauty of the chateau buildings in the area. Some 3% of Bordeaux's wine-growing region is now owned by approximately 75 Chinese investors. Chinese investors, including Haichang, have mostly focused on small chateaux priced below 10 million euros. Recently though, some investors have been looking to buy more prestigious vineyards. Last December, Hong Kong businessman Peter Kwok bought a Saint-Emilion grand cru winery for 30 million euros. A large part of the production from these wineries is destined for export, as Chinese appetites for imported wine show no sign of cooling off. The number of Chinese consumers buying imported wine more than doubled between 2011 and 2016, reaching 48 million people, according to research consultancy company Wine Intelligence. Bordeaux vineyards sold 84 million bottles in China in 2017, 30% of the region's total wine exports. It is not just the wine sector which is attracting the attention of Chinese investors. In 2016 and 2017, Hongyang Group, a company whose primary business is the manufacture of fuel dispensers, bought 2,600 acres of agricultural fields in central France. A lack of arable land is pushing Chinese investors to purchase agricultural land across the globe. This trend is a source of concern for the French agricultural sector, which is already struggling to recruit a new generation of farmers. Local rural land agencies called Safer regulate the sale and purchase of agricultural land, but investors have found loopholes in the system to bypass its scrutiny. "Our goal is to have a right of inspection on all transactions," senior Safer official Emmanuel Hyest told the Nikkei Asian Review. "That doesn't necessarily mean we will intervene every time, but we want there to be complete transparency ." In an address to 100 young farmers at the Elysee Palace in February, President Emmanuel Macron said: "Agricultural land in France is a strategic investment on which our sovereignty depends. We cannot let foreign powers buy hundreds of acres of land without being aware of their purpose." He promised to impose "regulatory barriers" on acquisitions of agricultural land by foreign investors. A new law regarding agricultural property is in the works and is scheduled to be discussed in parliament early next year. Legislators must try to reconcile demands from farmers' unions to subject agricultural purchases to state control -- as is the case with strategic sectors like defense -- with laws on property rights and free enterprise. Not everyone in southern France has a hostile view to foreign investors. In the Bordeaux region, inhabitants have come to see the benefits of their Chinese neighbors, who are restoring some historic wine mansions and keeping on local staff to maintain a high-quality standard. What is more, wine exports from Bordeaux are showcasing the region to Chinese tourists who could give the local economy another boost. Published: 2018-7-11 | Responsible Editor: Xie Jinli