智利北部沿海昨日发生强震 恐有海啸险情

Here is a deal that is bound to shake up the global agricultural market.

这是一起注定会震撼全球农产品市场的交易。

Singapore trading house Noble has confirmed a long-awaited plan to sell 51 per cent of its agricultural unit to Cofco, the Chinese state-owned company.

新加坡交易商来宝集团(Noble)已对一份人们期待已久的计划予以确认，该公司计划将其农产品部门51%的股份出售给中国国有企业中粮集团(Cofco)。

The final price for the deal is not yet determined.

交易的最终定价目前仍未确定。

Cofco said it would make an initial payment of $1.5bn cash when the transaction completes. The price tag will then be adjusted at the end of Noble's 2014 full year, with a valuation of 1.15 times book value.

中粮集团表示，交易结束时该集团首期或将支付15亿美元。这一价格是来宝农产品部门账面价值的1.15倍，该价格在来宝集团2014年财年结束时将予以调整。

Noble said its agricultural unit currently has shareholders' equity of $2.8bn and net debt of $2.5bn.

来宝集团表示目前其农产品部门的股东权益为28亿美元，净债务为25亿美元。

China is one of the world's biggest agricultural consumers, but until now had been content to buy from the global agribusiness giants.

中国是全球最大的农产品消费国之一，不过到目前为止中国对于买入全球农产品企业巨头的股份始终乐此不疲。

The deal with Noble could help the country secure cheaper access to agricultural resources, and places Cofco in direct competition with China's global soft commodities suppliers, such as Cargill and Bunge.

与来宝的交易可能有助于中国确保获得廉价的农产品资源，并将令中粮(Cofco)与嘉吉(Cargill)和邦吉集团(Bunge)这些全球软商品供应商正面竞争。

A consortium of international investors including Hopu, a Chinese private equity fund led by former Goldman Sachs rainmaker Fang Fenglei, are joining Cofco in the deal.

一个由国际投资者组成的财团也和中粮集团共同参与了这一交易。该财团包括由前高盛(Goldman Sachs)“造雨人(rainmaker)”方风雷领导的中国私募股权基金厚朴基金管理公司(Hopu Investment Management)。

Richard Elman, the founder and chairman of Noble Group, will become deputy chairman of Noble Agri.

来宝集团创始人兼董事长艾礼文(Richard Elman)将担任来宝农业(Noble Agri)的副董事长。

Cofco chairman Frank Ning will lead the business.

中粮集团董事长宁高宁将担任该企业董事长。

The FT reported Tuesday that the deal was set to be announced.

据英国《金融时报》周二报道，该交易不久将予以公布。