Australia: Selling the farm
China and the Middle East are buying up Australia’s agricultural assets to secure food production.
Australia’s reputation for producing high quality food is drawing increasing numbers of foreign investors.
Companies from the Middle East to China are spending billions of dollars buying up Australian farmland and agribusinesses, shoring up their food security for the future.
In the Australian state of Tasmania, many dairy farmers are trying to bail out, after having milk prices slashed and say they would welcome overseas investors.
But some critics claim Australia risks losing control of its wealth-creating agricultural assets and is selling out on its own food security.
This episode of 101 East can be seen from Thursday, December 16, 2010 at the following times GMT: Thursday: 1230, 2330; Friday: 0630; Saturday: 0030; Sunday: 0330, 1630; Monday: 0830; Tuesday: 0730, 1430; Wednesday: 0300.