Opposition to US agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland's $ 3 billion bid for
big grain handler GrainCorp has hardened among Nationals and country Liberal MPs, with some warning the sale could create a virtual monopoly that would hurt grain growers.
GrainCorp managing director Mark Palmquist says the sale of its stake in the nation's
biggest flour supplier, Allied Mills, allows the
grains handler to eye possible deals it would have found difficult to do as its balance sheet felt the strain of huge capital investments in the past few years.