Investors acquiring thirst for dairy assets

A rising demand for milk draws financing from industrial giants, private equity firms and wealth funds, reports Wang Zhuoqiong.

The nation's dairy sector has become a magnet for money, with the latest heavyweight investor being Xu Jiayin, chairman of Ever-grande Real Estate Group Ltd. The property tycoon is reportedly visited potential projects in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Heilongjiang province where the country's best dairy farms are located.

Though Evergrande didn't confirm the purpose of Xu's trip, itwouldbeno surprise if the company got involved in dairy farming, a sector that has drawn strong interest among private equity firms.