Speaking during a panel session at last week?s Innovation Generation conference in Geelong, managing director of agricultural software business Agrimaster, David Egerton-Warburton said he was mystified by the current portrayal of foreign investment in Australian agriculture as a bad thing.
?I often ask farmers why are they against foreign investment, and no-one gives me a truly good answer.?
Mr Egerton-Warburton said Australian agriculture was suffering from a capital shortage and foreign investment was a logical place to source it.
?The bottom line is that we need a capital investment and foreign investors can provide that capital.?
Catherine Marriott, managing director of Influential Women, also has trouble understanding current attitudes to foreign investment.
?People saying they don?t want China taking over Australia or having a food shortage here are just being na?ve.?
Ms Marriot, who has experience working in the livestock sector in south-east Asia, said judicious arrangements between investors and farmers could have win-win outcomes for both parties - and Mr Egerton-Warburton agreed.
?Foreign investment is the most exciting opportunity in a generation,? he told the audience at the GrainGrowers event, targeted at young agribusiness participants.
?If, for instance, you?re a young farmer and you want to expand your farm, you probably don?t have the capital, but tapping into foreign capital could help you.
?I'd be running out and putting together a portfolio of what you can bring to the table and try and attract investment, show the investors how you can make them money.?
Michelle Jin, executive director of Westwell, a company which imports electronics into Australia and exports Australian agricultural commodities, said foreign investment would always lead to opportunities on the ground in Australia.
?You can?t take the land away, the investors will need to employ professionals and their preference is for people with understanding of the area.?
Mr Egerton-Warburton said foreign investors were happier to invest in agriculture than the mainstream Australian investment community, geared towards regular returns.
?They don?t have the appetite for volatility required when working with agriculture.?
He cautioned those looking to work with foreign investors needed to approach each deal on its merits.
?There are good and bad businesses in China, just the same as here in Australia, so you need to do your research and make sure you?re going to be working with a solid business.?
GrainGrowers chief executive Mark Allison said foreign investors had a different perspective behind their decision making.
?If a local is looking to buy more land it might be for economies of scale and synergies, but for a foreign investment they might see opportunities into an international market, its totally different.
?It can be seen as a threat in terms of added competition for land, but it can also be seen as an opportunity.?
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