Major feed producer Sichuan New Hope Agribusiness has said it is investing 16 million yuan (€2m) in a dairy processing joint venture in northern China.
New Hope Agribusiness, controlled by China's largest private enterprise Sichuan New Hope Group, said it is using bank loans to finance its investment in an 80 per cent stake in the joint venture.
Its joint venture partner, Hebei Tensun Dairy Co., will take a 20 per cent stake.
The joint venture will in turn take a 10 per cent - 30 per cent stake in Hebei Tensun's milk production base in Hebei province, New Hope Agribusiness said in a statement.
The new investment will be New Hope Agribusiness' seventh dairy operation but its first in northern China, a company official said.