New figures show New Zealand is not the only country where foreign investors are buying up farmland. Washington thinktank WorldWatch Institute says it is part of a global trend.
It said farmland is being bought, often in poorer countries, for several reasons - as an investment for food security, or for raw material for biofuels.
The institute said since 2000, more than 36 million hectares had been bought or leased globally by foreign entities, far in excess of New Zealand's total land area.
A further 15 million hectares - the size of the South Island - was under negotiation.
WorldWatch said about half the land in question is in Africa, and local people who worked the land for years are often disadvantaged.
