Food Processing

The firm is funding India's largest private dairy to expand its value-added product range and to target consumers.

The sale will free up working capital to build on the $500m the company invested in the midstream protein sector over the past year, according to an executive.

The credit line will go towards modernising farming practices to meet EU standards and improving market access for producers.

The investment in Phoon Huat comes a year after SCPE ploughed $52m into restaurant chain Crystal Jade Group Holdings.

Managing partner Duncan Owen says that significant investment in food and processing will help growth at the African farm gate, and that as interest increases more exits are becoming available.

The bank's senior consumer foods analyst John David Roeg explains the implications of EU trade deals, and why investors into UK food will have put deals on hold.

Having a voice on regulations for food trade and agriculture is the key to creating a long-term investment environment in a UK outside Europe.

The bank warns the UK not to expect food prices to remain low outside the EU.

The strategy, which would need $400bn over the next 10 years, will co-ordinate and attract increased investment by looking at value chains and helping to reduce risk for investors.

The RDIF plans to make $4bn in co-investments to agriculture aby 2018, and will focus on businesses with local and export markets, its chief executive officer Kirill Dmitriev said earlier this week.