This Month
Competition red flags for Olam in battle for Namoi Cotton
ACCC commissioner Stephen Ridgeway says the bidding war for Namoi Cotton could “all fall over” if rival bidders can’t overcome “serious competition issues”.
- Brad Thompson
- Updated
- Wine
Treasury Wine’s profits buoyed as Penfolds goes all in on China
Treasury says Penfolds profits will grow 15 per cent this year, but margins will fall as the company spends more rebuilding its export business to China.
- Updated
- Simon Evans
Chinese backer of Australian wine group nursing big losses
A Chinese investment group which took a large stake in McGuigan owner Australian Vintage seven years ago is down about $7 million on paper.
- Simon Evans
GrainCorp looks beyond life as a rainy day stock
Wet conditions have boosted hopes of another bumper crop. The ASX-listed agribusiness’s share price has been a big beneficiary.
- Brad Thompson
- Updated
- Wine & spirits
Australian Vintage wants to revive Accolade Wine merger talks
The market capitalisation of the wine producer has almost halved after its shares resumed trading following a three-week suspension.
- Updated
- Simon Evans
Louis Dreyfus refuses to back down in battle for Namoi Cotton
The French agribusiness giant has turned up the heat on rival bidder Olam as the competition watchdog casts a big shadow over the fight for the ASX-listed group.
- Brad Thompson
McGuigan owner Australian Vintage seeks $20m lifeline to tackle wine glut
The acting CEO says a merger is still logical for the ailing wine group as it battles an industry wine oversupply after being spurned by bigger rival Accolade Wines.
- Simon Evans
Consumers urged against panic-buying after Coles imposes egg limit
One supermarket giant is limiting customers to two cartons of eggs after an outbreak of bird flu in Victoria worsened.
- Gus McCubbing
The a2 Milk Co’s main supplier Synlait needs China rescue package
China’s Bright Dairy is lending $NZ130m to the dual-listed company, in which a2 Milk Co has a 19.8 per cent stake and relies on for infant formula supply.
- Simon Evans
Mabo hasn’t closed the gap, even in the Pilbara
Two of the lawyers behind the landmark claim by land rights activist Eddie Mabo say native title “hasn’t spread the wealth evenly”.
- Michael Pelly
May
Accolade Wines ends merger talks, Australian Vintage to raise capital
Shares in the owner of McGuigan and Tempus Two wine brands have been suspended as debt levels rise to dangerous levels, with a potential back-door listing of Australia’s No.2 player, Accolade off the table for now.
- Simon Evans
US restricts some Australian poultry imports due to bird flu concerns
New restrictions on Victorian poultry and poultry by-products entering the United States will have limited impact on the local industry, a peak group says.
- Updated
- Rachael Ward
Bird flu on the march, experts warn
More than 400,000 chickens were slaughtered in Victoria this week and experts say Australia will be lucky to avoid the more virulent version of avian flu.
- Tom Burton
Nufarm boss says he wants even playing field, not handouts
Nufarm chief executive Greg Hunt says other nations treat grain production as a critical industry.
- Brad Thompson
Blow for Bain and Accolade Wines as growers reject grape deal
The wine group says the contract has been handicapping it for years in an oversupplied market, as investors in smaller player Australian Vintage brace for bad news.
- Simon Evans
Bird flu fears put health authorities, farmers on edge
Two unrelated cases of the potentially deadly virus have been detected in Victoria.
- Andrew Tillett
Queensland industries fear migration cut will worsen worker shortage
Slashing migration numbers risks compounding stretched workforces, Queensland industries warn.
- James Hall
Elders chair overrules shareholders
When 63.6 per cent of shareholders indicate they don’t want to grant a CEO some 180,000 free shares, most chairmen would listen. Not Ian Wilton.
- Myriam Robin
Elders plunges to worst result in 10 years on wayward BOM forecast
Farmers sold livestock and cut orders for farm chemicals based on the weather bureau’s prediction of an El Nino hot and dry period, which did not eventuate.
- Simon Evans
Costa family-backed GO.FARM seeks $300m for new agricultural fund
Stressed assets – either from receivership or family dynamics – is where the firm has harvested nearly a third of its 100-plus deals since its founding in 2013.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
