Tag Archives: hungry

Chinese plans to lease 5 percent of Ukraine’s total land to grow crops may be nothing more than a pipe dream. Ukrainian officials say they know nothing of the deal, reported in a Chinese newspaper over the weekend. The South China Morning Post reported China’s Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) had a 50-year plan for crop and pig farming, spanning over 9 percent of Ukraine’s arable land. Sergey Kasyanov, Chairman of KSG agro, explained the misunderstanding. China’s reported ‘land grab’ would include eastern territories near the Dnieper river, Kherson, and Crimea, well-known for its coastal beaches. “I don’t have any information on the subject, unfortunately. I know that Chinese companies occasionally show interest,” Igor Livin, the Chairman of the Association of the Ukrainian-Chinese Cooperation told Vesti 24. On Monday, the Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture and Food said China and Ukraine will become strategic partners. A Chinese-Ukrainian cooperation could help Kiev increase its international trade, while Beijing could reach its goal of becoming 95 percent self-sufficient in food. Ukraine is home to 45 million people and boasts a gross domestic product of $176 billion. China’s population accounts for about a fifth of the global population, with at 1.4 billion people living in the country. It is also the world’s second largest economy, with over 8 trillion in GDP. Land Grab Worldwide 115 million acres are leased to foreign investors. These countries are seeking greener pastures to grow crops in Congo, Sudan, Indonesia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Australia, according to the report. Land has made a comeback – from cattle, private ski resorts, hunting and fishing clubs, to the Maine coastline – for American entrepreneurs who prefer to take a stake in natural real estate to diversify and hedge their assets against the risky gold, oil, and stock prices. Continue reading →