Crops

The Australian sheep and cropping fund manager has acquired the first farm for its Australia Fund I, a 486-hectare property in south-west Victoria.

The fund manager is expecting to announce a first close on $300m this month ahead of a second closing on $500m in June.

The knowledge-based platform for farmers, which won World's Best Startup in 2014, is in talks with a variety of venture capital firms in Europe and the US about the capital raising round.

On Monday, Agri Investor’s editor joined three agri-investment professionals on Resonance FM’s N@ked Short Club.

Belize own-and-operate cropping investment manager Caribbean Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) has raised a further $2 million towards its $10 million Series A round of funding.

The 2015 Prospective Plantings released by USDA shows slight declines expected in corn, wheat and cotton acres this year while soybean plantings are expected to increase moderately.

The Continental Grain Co subsidiary is planning to raise $100m, according to SEC filings.

The longer-term impact of low oil prices on the agriculture sector remains the subject of much speculation, writes Andrew Wood, senior associate at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright.

Green Rock Ventures is raising $10m for greenhouse projects in India and offering foreign investors the opportunity to own agri land, otherwise prohibited.

Star Crop has partnered with local operator MSU to launch an agricultural development project in Colombia’s Eastern Plains.