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NZ sheep genes China-bound in Crafar deal

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NZ sheep genes China-bound

3News NZ

The genes of quality Kiwi Sheep are set to be exported to China if the Crafar deal is successful (file)

The genes of quality Kiwi Sheep are set to be exported to China if the Crafar deal is successful (file)

A deal to sell the Crafar dairy farms to Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin will also see the genes of quality Kiwi sheep exported to China.

The sale, which has Overseas Investment Office approval, faces a final legal hurdle on Monday when rival bidders, led by New Zealand businessman Sir Michael Fay, appeal the deal for a second time in the High Court at Wellington.

State-owned Landcorp has signed a deal with Shanghai Pengxin to run the farms, and chief executive Chris Kelly told Fairfax the sale would allow the company to enter the Chinese market.

"We're going to look at exporting genetic material. Shanghai Pengxin has about 100,000 sheep in China, and is looking to advance flock progress," he said.

"It recognises that New Zealand has some superior genetics, and is keen to talk to us about spreading those genes through its flock."

Mr Kelly said improving China's sheep genetics would assist that country access a secure supply of quality meat, which New Zealand offers.

He said Landcorp will "make damn sure" the revenue flows back to New Zealand.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said it was a risky move to give away years of selective breeding.

"Once we do that, there's no way to stop anyone in China continuing on with those genetic lines."

NZN

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Comments

25/07/2012 7:26:10 p.m.

Don wrote:

imort more chinese together with their investor,build one city for only chinese,be scaru from everything made in china,to much scary,

3/07/2012 4:46:43 p.m.

Tom wrote:

What idiots, didn't they learn from the fool who sold the kiwi fruit cuttings. Once the Chinese get their hands on the gene pool it will be goodbye NZ. Wrightsons are already teaching them our farming techniques.

2/07/2012 3:29:01 p.m.

Roger young wrote:

Awesome! John key and your reckless national party just another great short sighted decision by you idiots!!

1/07/2012 8:05:11 p.m.

julia wrote:

All this to a country that skins its cats and dogs alive for their fur.

1/07/2012 1:30:46 p.m.

pete wrote:

Well, everyone sells everything to the Chinese,so why not join in and sell off all of NZ's hard work in the field of sheep genetics as well,complete idiots we are,"He said Landcorp will "make damn sure" the revenue flows back to New Zealand".OMG are the Chinese stupid or something,do you think for one moment they are going to be concerned about a little country on the other side of the world,making a demand of them,wake up,they don't need us,but we need them,so like a good dog we will roll over and lick their boots,grow some guts NZ,stop selling off everything we as a nation have worked for.

1/07/2012 1:29:06 p.m.

Matthew wrote:

It would be characteristic of Chinese business to rip off intellectual property, they have done this with various technological artefacts over the years (european trains comes to mind) and I can't see sheep beng any different. In china surely it's seller beware.

1/07/2012 11:34:59 a.m.

Chris wrote:

Anything that makes NZ worth less. Thats all the government intends to do as long as they have our money lining their pockets and travel.

1/07/2012 10:19:47 a.m.

katrina wrote:

Once this happens aren't we just helping China to set up in competition to us in the dairy market? Isn't that just like selling your company secrets to the competition? espionage?

1/07/2012 9:05:25 a.m.

Brian wrote:

You would have to be completely naïve to believe that this would not ultimately lead to the reduced need to New Zealand lamb. Did they learn nothing from the Kiwi fruit growers stupidity, when they sent the plants overseas

1/07/2012 8:34:36 a.m.

killing our country wrote:

great so we gonna give them our sheep genes, dna they gonna go back to there country breed them like wild fire. they will then start contracting all of these new diseases which will eventually come in contact with ours. this will then end up passing this onto our nz stock cos as we have just seen our bio security is crap, can anyonlse see where this is going. no good can come from this we are literally signing away on our livestock safety. thanks landcorp way to think of your pockets not your country.