Agribusiness

Hancock Prospecting is poised to become Western Australia's biggest private company after a investment and acquisition spree in iron ore and agribusiness which is expected some time this year to push its revenue past that of the incumbent number one for the past 12 years, home builder BGC. A 2018 reranking appears certain following research for the Business News Private Companies list published today in a special report.

Canadian hydroponics technology company Roto-Gro International has closed its first day of trading on the ASX, after completing a $3.6 million initial public offering managed by Perth-based Barclay Wells.

Western Australian grain growers have delivered the biggest harvest in the history of the state, with CBH Group declaring receival, shipping and freight records were broken across the board.

An empty block cum ecological oasis in East Perth is providing opportunities for Perth's unemployed by meeting the demand for fresh produce.

The iconic Dingo Flour mill in North Fremantle is coming under new ownership after Graincorp and Cargill Australia agreed to sell their Allied Mills Australia joint venture to private equity group Pacific Equity Partners.

A local insurance broker and a data analytics specialist have teamed up to offer grain growers the same kind of cover as energy companies and construction projects.

A new agriculture research centre at Curtin University plans to tackle the $1.5 billion economic impact of crop disease in Australia. 

The state government has committed $37 million to an ambitious desalination and irrigation project in the South West that is led by Perth business executive Peter Fogarty and will cost an estimated $380 million.

Grain handler CBH Group has shaken off a soft performance in its downstream Interflour businesses to report a 10 per cent increase in its surplus to $110 million for the year to October, after 13.6 million tonnes were transported through its network.

The four-week marron fishing season begins this weekend in Western Australia and thousands of people are expected to turn out to dams and rivers to catch the unique freshwater crayfish.

Livestock exporter Wellard has confirmed it has again breached banking covenants, and expects a loss for the first half of the 2017 financial year.

A period of strong cattle prices has boosted Western Australia’s largest pastoral companies, with the state’s four biggest cattle-focused plays increasing revenue about 9 per cent to $1 billion in their most recent annual reports.

The 12-year old scandal over the Australian Wheat Board’s payments to the government of Iraq has moved closer to final resolution, with its former chairman Trevor Flugge convicted today of breaching his duties as a director but cleared of more serious charges concerning his knowledge of the payments.

CBH Group will remain a non-distributing cooperative for the foreseeable future after a majority of its 4,100 members said they wanted to retain the current structure.

After originally blocking the sale of land and cattle empire S Kidman & Co to Chinese buyers, Treasurer Scott Morrison has approved a joint bid with mining magnate Gina Rinehart and her Chinese partners.

Higher revenue from an improved woodchip market and a lower dollar has boosted profits at Albany Plantation Export Company, WA Plantation Resources and Bunbury Fibre Exports.

Graincorp's biggest shareholder, Archer Daniels Midland, has sold its 19.9 per cent stake in the Australian grain merchant for about $387 million, three years after its failed $3.4 billion takeover bid.

A Singaporean businessman plans to advance the potential of WA’s $7 billion-plus agriculture export market.

A particularly stressful week for farmers has come to a relieving end with the Greens today supporting the federal government’s proposed 15 per cent backpacker tax after voting against it yesterday.

The federal government’s plan for a 15 per cent rate backpacker tax has been knocked down in the Senate, with the state’s farming body left furious and desperate for a solution.

Shareholders in agribusiness Wellard have strongly rejected four resolutions at the company's annual meeting, though their anger over the company's poor performance was not enough for the nominee of a dissident shareholder to get elected to the board.

The state’s agricultural body has welcomed the Commonwealth’s decision to reduce its planned backpacker tax to 15 per cent, less than half than what was originally proposed.

Augusta seafood group Ocean Grown Abalone’s $5 million fund raising campaign is progressing under the stewardship of adviser View Street Partners, with the launch of its official offer document as

Perth company OTOC has joined TFS Corporation in receiving shareholder approval for a name change and rebranding, which both companies say will more accurately reflect their business models.

Dairy producer Brownes has become the first local company to manufacture yoghurt pouches as part of an ambitious plan to usurp Yoplait as Western Australia’s highest selling yoghurt maker.

Agribusiness Elders' full-year net profit has lifted 35 per cent to $51.6 million with higher retail sales and a strong performance in its strong livestock agency business.

Former federal trade and investment minister Andrew Robb has joined Perth-based aquaculture firm Seafarms Group as it progresses its $1.45 billion Sea Dragon prawn project in the Northern Territory.

Wellad’s third-largest shareholder says it plans to vote against the live cattle exporter’s remuneration report and has asked shareholders to back the appointment of one of its representatives to the board.

Failed fertiliser supplier Superfert Dongbu has gone into liquidation, 18 months after it had been put into voluntary administration.

The all-Australian consortium competing for the Kidman cattle empire has withdrawn its bid, after the target's board unanimously recommended Hancock Group-Shanghai CRED's revised $386.5 million offer yesterday.

Gina Rinehart and Shanghai CRED’s joint venture has proposed a counter-bid to that of the all-Australian consortium competing for the Kidman cattle empire, and says Hancock Prospecting would wholly acquire the target if foreign investment approvals aren't awarded.

Fruit and vegetable growers have told the competition watchdog they are reluctant to report complaints against the major supermarkets and wholesalers because they fear retribution.