Days after Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin won approval for its purchase of the Crafar Farms, New Zealanders say they would rather the group led by controversial Kiwi asset stripper Sir Michael Fay owned the farms.
Shanghai Pengxin's bid to buy the 16 Central North Island dairy farms was approved by Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Associate Finance Minister Jonathan Coleman on Friday.
However, a Herald DigiPoll conducted during the week leading up to that decision found that despite Sir Michael's history of profiting hugely from privatised state assets, most of the 307 people surveyed would have preferred his consortium bought the farms.
Asked which of the two buyers they preferred, just under 64 per cent said the Fay consortium, 15 per cent chose Shanghai Pengxin, 15 per cent didn't know and 6 per cent said none of the above.
Sir Michael's consortium, which included farmers and iwi, offered about $170 million, about $30 million less than Shanghai Pengxin. Receivers Korda Mentha said given the difference between the offers, the Fay consortium's bid was never seriously considered.