Food

For investors, technology to prevent or monetise waste is as appealing as improvements in productivity.

KKR and Baring Private Equity Asia are said to be among the firms interested in bidding for a stake in the company that could lead to a full spin-out.

The US investment firm has also acquired non-genetically modified organised food company That's How We Roll.

Bessemer Venture Partners, Helion Advisors, Zodius Capital and Ascent Capital joined Abraaj in the funding round for fresh food online supermarket BigBasket.

The firm is likely to make three investments in 2016 from its $893m fourth fund.

The firm also plans to launch an international intensive fish farming fund, A3F Aquaculture.

Agri-Vie's management team will form EXEO Capital, develop new investment products and have a wider remit to invest Fund II.

The firm has also opened an office in Boston, which it says makes its fund the first independent food and agriculture fund with a presence in both Europe and America and the largest in Europe.

US alternative investment firm Bain Capital has exited its majority share investment in Brakes Group, selling it on to US food distributing giant Sysco.

The Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper promised the appointment of an agricultural commissioner to the Australian competition regulator.