The New Hope Group Co sets up investment arm

China's largest animal feed producers New Hope Group Co are to launch an overseas investment arm this month with international investors, including Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings, New Hope Chairman Liu Yonghao said. "The investment will focus on agricultural products and related businesses overseas and in China," Liu said. "China has 800 million farmers, of which 300-400 million are moving to cities," he said. "That will increase the demand for agricultural products while decrease the supply. This is positive to agricultural companies, like us." Read more ...

Muyang creates Joint Venture with WEM Automation

Muyang Group had signed an agreement with the Wisconsin-based WEM Automation International, LLC. on March, 2011, to create a joint venture Muyang-WEM Automation Co Ltd. According to the Agreement, Muyang holds 51 percent of the shares in the joint venture and shall take the charge of operating the new company.

The joint venture will be located in the Hanjiang Economic Zone, Yangzhou, China. The completion of the transaction is expected to occur in approximately the next 6 months following the execution of final agreements. Both companies are highly satisfied and looking forward to achieve the envisioned global growth targets together. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers

Leading agriculture investment set to bring together 80 plus investors in Singapore in June 2011

On June 29-30, this unique forum will bring together institutional and private investors with top Ag fund managers, to debate strategies for participating in agriculture and surrounding investments. Among timely discussions including, private equity investment in the full agriculture supply chain and the challenges and benefits of investing internationally, time has been set aside specifically for one-on-one networking for contacts and details to be shared and business to be done.

Confirmed participants already include: Emergent Asset Management, Macquarie, Duxton Asset Management, InvestAg Savills and many more. This is a unique chance to network with investors and Ag managers, and to effortlessly catch-up on where allocations are being made and how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers

US field crops will require 237 million acres to meet demand

Ongoing analysis by the Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group, concludes that in order to build US and global supplies to acceptable levels, more acres of corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat will need to be planted this year in the United States than ever before. It is projected that 237 million acres of these four major US crops need to be planted in 2011.

The findings are based on the Rabobank FAR team's global agribusiness marketplace report, "The Battle For Acres: US Field Crops in Competition." As the leading provider of financial services for the global food and agriculture industry, Rabobank created and maintains the FAR unit to conduct ongoing research and analysis on issues of importance to agriculture around the world. Rabo AgriFinance, part of Rabobank, provides this exclusive information to its client producers and agribusinesses in the US Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.

European Union wants market-based answer to commodities surge

Commodity prices have surged largely due to supply and demand bottlenecks and the European Union's response should be "considered and market-based" rather than rely on mandatory curbs, governments are set to agree.

Some EU countries such as France want curbs on what they see as speculators such as hedge funds making quick gains in commodities markets at the expense of consumers.

The tone of the statement, due to be endorsed by the bloc's industry ministers on Thursday (10 March), is cautious on blaming the financial sector, however, and does not call for any radical measures such as the position limits that are being introduced in the United States. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.