Recent reports, some unconfirmed, are indicating that China is making some major plays in world agriculture.

A complex deal with the Ukraine which would see Chinese group Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) take control of 3 million hectares of farmland for 50 years has recently been reported in China and Ukraine. 3 million hectares equates roughly to 9% of the vast arable area of the Ukraine, or basically a Belgium sized chunk of the Ukraine. Linked to this deal would be the provision of irrigation projects, a state $3 billion USD loan, road building projects and some ag related factory projects.

Around the same time, the biggest ever purchase of an American company by a Chinese group has been approved at shareholder level in the US which will see Smithfield, one of the world’s largest pork producers, being purchased by Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd in a $4.7 billion dollar deal. Shanghui, also one of the world’s leading pork producers, will pay $34 dollars per share with 96% of Smithfield shareholders in favour of the sale, a move which surprised many.

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Concurrently, Chinese firm Chongqing Grain Group has pledged close to $1 billion USD in investments in Brazilian grain facilities and companies over the next year.

A busy autumn for the Asian state that is showing a real appetite to ensure food security for its growing middle class demand for better quality food.