Chinese Farming Firms Target Russia's Far East, Officials Claim

April 14, 2017

Some of China’s largest agricultural companies are targeting land in Russia’s Far East for potential multimillion-dollar investment deals, local officials claim.

A number of firms want to develop land that has "remained untouched since the end of the Soviet era" in the country's most remote regions, Sergei Novichenko, minister of Economic Development in Russia’s Trans-Baikal region, told guests at an investment conference in Beijing.

Potential investors include China's largest agricultural firm, the state-owned China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation COFCO, the FlashSiberia news outlet reported.

China’s Zoje Resource Investment was one of the first countries to sign a 49-year lease for 115,000 hectares (284,000 acres) of land in the Trans-Baikal region back in 2015.

The company plans to invest some 24 billion rubles ($427 million) in a bid to farm poultry and livestock, as well as grain and other crops for animal fodder.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue