Sudan's President says his government gave Qatar 250,000 acres of land in the Nile River state but the project was put on hold because China cancelled a loan that was needed to extend electricity in the area.
Australian business council wants Qatar to invest more in food production in Australia, similar to what Qatar's Hassad Foods is pursuing.
Foreign companies from Korea, Qatar, US, UK and China are "secretly" buying up large chunks of NSW farmland by establishing shelf companies, trust funds, and extended settlements to avoid scrutiny.
Qatar has been investing in large areas of farmland overseas to ensure access to food supplies, but it also aims to produce most of its food domestically by spending massively to boost crop yields and convert semi-desert into agricultural land.
President Yangouvonda who is now visiting Qatar said that there are a number of investment fields in his country such as agricultural, cattle breeding, tourism and mineral resources.
Hassad Food Company is keen to secure food supplies for Qatar at reasonable prices through local and international investments in various countries, according to an article in the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry memorial book ‘40 Years of Excellence and Achievement.’
Katar Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası’nın “Mükemmeliyet ve Başarının 40 Yılı” adlı hatıra kitabında yayımlanan bir makalede Hassad Gıda Şirketi yerel ve uluslararası yatırımlarla Katar’a makul fiyatlarla gıda sağlamakta hevesli olduğu belirtiliyor.
"Supporting partnerships between Gulf countries and American farmers to advance their own food security agendas would not only constitute a major boon for our farmers, but would also put the USG in a better position to partner with these countries in pursuing our own food security strategy with poor nations in the Arab world and beyond," writes the US embassy in Qatar
Farmers have urged the state government to establish a register that would list Victorian farms that have been bought by foreign owners. The call comes as concerns grow over the level of foreign ownership of Australian farms and over the control of productive food resources.
Hassad plans to spend $US350 million ($318 million) in Australia to secure food supplies for Qatar, which imports 95 per cent of its food.
Australians do realise the value of what is being sold, a land agent and rural property specialist said, "but their hands are tied because they can't raise the money".
Under the National Food Security Program, Qatari companies would produce five basic food items -- white and red meat, rice, sugar and grains (including wheat) -- in countries like Sudan, India, Australia, Argentina, Turkey and Brazil, among others.
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