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Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Kale crop above the rest — literally
Sheep and beef farmer Ken Bain, of Hindon, stands in his kale crop, which won him the top prize at the 2025 Taieri Winter Crop Competition. PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUE Taieri Winter Crop Competition Strath Taieri farmer Ken Bain's homecoming features an award-winning kale crop. The Hindon sheep and cattle farmer was crowned the winner of the 2025 Taieri Winter Crop Competition, taking out the section for a kale crop cultivated on a hill. His kale crop was easily the best he had ever grown but he was surprised to win. He had expected a farmer growing a crop on flat land to take out the top honour. "Their ability to grow crop and their tonnages is so much better down there." He had entered the competition for the past two years and it was first time he had won a prize. SovGold kale seed from Agricom was sown across more than 6ha at the start of November last year. Consistent rainfall throughout the season had helped growth. "This season has been phenomenal." Dairy bulls and cows would begin eating the kale next month. Sheep would be kept out of the top crop. "It's not really a sheep crop, it is reasonably high." The success of the crop was also down to the quality of the paddock, which had not been ploughed for 25 years or more. "This paddock may be old but it has never faulted in growing grass." He liked ploughing paddocks and this one was due. "I'm old school; ploughing has always worked for me." He was planning to test the soil to find out why the paddock performed better than others on Willowlea. A shelter belt of pine trees protects the crop from a cold westerly wind and helps keep the soil temperature up. Mr Bain and his wife Alison bought the 160ha farm Willowlea in Hindon two years ago. He was raised on the farm, which was then more than 1800ha, owned by the government and called Parero. His late father Graeme Bain was a manager on Parero, working for a salary from the Department of Lands and Survey. To buy the farm where you lived as a boy was satisfying. "I've worked for other people all my life and now it is just Alice and I that I have to worry about. "You don't have to please anyone else — it is good." On Parero, his family lived in a house which had since been demolished. "I used to get on a bus at that gate over there to get to primary school at Lee Stream." Parero became three ballot farms in 1978. "When this was settled, Dad drew his own ballot farm at Black Rock." His mother Lorraine died about two years ago. "She knew we bought this place before she died." His path to owning Willowlea included studying at Lincoln University, working as a PGG Wrightson stock agent in Owaka for more than two years, managing Stoneburn Station, in East Otago, for five years and entering an equity partnership in a sheep and beef business in Kyeburn. The equity partnership ran its course and allowed them to buy Willowlea. Willowlea was "in good heart" and there were no plans for any major development, thanks to work of past owners including Graham White. Livestock set to spend this winter on Willowlea were about 200 rising 1-year-old dairy bulls, mostly Holstein Friesian, 120 dairy cows, 750 quarterbred lambs and 200 in-lamb ewes. "Our system is reasonably simple." The farm operation includes another 120ha lease block in Berwick. About 160 rising 1-year-old Holstein Friesian and Hereford cross bulls, weighing about 215kg each, were set to be sold privately to make the most of the buoyant beef market. Many of the bulls were from dairy farms owned by Mrs Bain's brothers on South Taieri, the Sutherlands. "There is a shortage of stock out there, that's why we are getting rid of 160 bulls. That's the beauty of bulls, unlike lambs, where you've got a maximum weight you can take them to. With bulls you can keep putting the weight on them." • The crop competition and auction raised $84,000 for three rural study scholarships ($6000), Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust ($27,200), Otago Community Hospice ($29,000), Outram School hall audio visual equipment upgrade ($6100), Outram Historic Path shared pathway ($6600) and Outram Lions and Rotary clubs ($9000).
Ammon
19-05-2025
- Business
- Ammon
Iraqis top real estate ownership in Jordan during 1st third 2025
Ammon News - Iraqis topped the list of nationalities that owned the most real estate in Jordan during the first third of 2025, with 170 properties, followed by Saudi Arabia with 143 properties, and then Syria with 66 properties, according to a report by the Department of Lands and Survey. Iraqis also ranked first, with an investment volume exceeding JD23.7 million, representing 36% of the total value of ownership. The United States followed with JD8.75 million (13%), then Syria with JD4.39 million (7%), and Saudi Arabia with JD2.8 million (4%), the report showed according to Al-Mamlaka. Saudi Arabia topped property ownership transactions in April with 45 properties, followed by Iraq with 37 properties, then Syria and the United States with 16 properties each, while the UAE and Germany came in fourth with 12 properties for each nationality. In terms of investment value, Iraqis came in first with JD5.75 million (36%), followed by the UAE with JD1.35 million, then the United States with JD1.3 million dinars.
Jordan Times
13-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Cabinet approves amendments to real estate law, says they ease land ownership procedures
Agriculture projects endorsed, agreements reached with China and Morocco AMMAN — The Cabinet, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, endorsed on Sunday draft amendments to the 2025 Real Estate Ownership Law to streamline land registration procedures and facilitate the dissolution of joint ownership. The amendments grant expanded authority to the Department of Lands and Survey, enabling it to deliver faster, more efficient services and reduce bureaucratic hurdles, according to a Prime Ministry statement. The amended bill introduces mechanisms to regulate joint ownership dissolution committees and provides guidelines for determining fair compensation in cases of public expropriation. It also addresses existing legal gaps by allowing companies, non-Jordanians, and legal entities to acquire property in specific unincorporated areas, which was previously restricted. Under the new framework, legal entities engaged in lease financing will be able to obtain property permits directly from the Department of Lands and the Ministry of Finance, eliminating the need for Cabinet approval. The move aims to streamline procedures and enhance investor access to Jordan's property market. In the transport sector, the Cabinet reviewed the regulatory framework governing smart transport applications. Emphasising the importance of competitiveness and service quality, the Council of Ministers directed the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) to electronically integrate its systems with ride-hailing platforms and update licensing conditions. New requirements will be introduced to ensure vehicle safety and enhance complaint resolution mechanisms. The government is also considering allowing ride-hailing drivers not currently enrolled in social security to opt in voluntarily, the statement said. To support the agricultural sector, the Cabinet approved three new cooperation projects with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The initiatives focus on building farmer capacity, expanding access to markets, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices. One project will promote sustainable agriculture and youth employment, while another will focus on preserving native plant species. A third will improve farmers' access to green financing, with particular emphasis on empowering rural communities and closing gender and youth financing gaps. Additionally, the Cabinet ratified a protocol with China on the export of processed sheepskins and signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Global Farmers' Association to boost development cooperation for Jordanian farmers. In the water sector, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco to exchange expertise in water infrastructure and management. Areas of cooperation include desalination, rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, and drought mitigation strategies. The Cabinet also approved a formal commitment document for the Aqaba-Amman Desalination and Conveyance Project, Jordan's largest water infrastructure initiative. Once operational, the National Carrier Project is expected to deliver 300 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually, significantly bolstering the Kingdom's water security. On the international cooperation front, the Cabinet endorsed several agreements, including a memorandum with Qatar to enhance cooperation in social development. The agreement addresses child welfare, women's rights, elderly care, and services for persons with disabilities. The Cabinet also approved several senior appointments. Mazen Shahadeh Abu Baqr was named Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth, Riyad Kharabsheh was appointed Director General of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, and Ibrahim Rawashdeh was selected to head the National Agricultural Research Centre. All three candidates earned the highest scores in the 2024 Government Leadership Selection System.
Zawya
12-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Jordan: Real estate trading reaches $1bln by February
AMMAN: The volume of real estate trading in the Kingdom reached JD1.09 billion by the end of February 2025, marking a 1 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024, the Department of Lands and Survey announced on Tuesday. The trading volume for February alone amounted to JD545 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The report showed that revenues from real estate transactions rose by 9 per cent year-on-year, reaching JD47.4 million by the end of February. Property sales saw a 3-per-cent decline, with apartment sales dropping by 4 per cent and land sales decreasing by 5 per cent. The total number of properties sold in the first two months of the year stood at 2,265. On a monthly level, revenues for February fell by 2 per cent compared with the same month last year, amounting to JD21.7 million. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Jordan Times
11-03-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Real estate trading reaches JD1.09b by February
The Department of Lands and Survey on Tuesday says that the volume of real estate trading in the Kingdom reached JD1.09 billion by the end of February 2025, marking a 1 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024 (File photo) AMMAN — The volume of real estate trading in the Kingdom reached JD1.09 billion by the end of February 2025, marking a 1 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2024, the Department of Lands and Survey announced on Tuesday. The trading volume for February alone amounted to JD545 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The report showed that revenues from real estate transactions rose by 9 per cent year-on-year, reaching JD47.4 million by the end of February. Property sales saw a 3-per-cent decline, with apartment sales dropping by 4 per cent and land sales decreasing by 5 per cent. The total number of properties sold in the first two months of the year stood at 2,265. On a monthly level, revenues for February fell by 2 per cent compared with the same month last year, amounting to JD21.7 million.
