With just two weeks remaining for Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin, to go unconditional on its offer to buy 16 Crafar farms from receivers KordaMentha, for around $210 million, there is still no indication of when, or if,  the Overseas Investment Office will give its approval.

KordaMentha has imposed a January 31 deadline.

Should the Pengxin bid fail a Sir Michael Fay-led consortium of New Zealand farmers is poised to pounce, although an earlier offer of $171.5 million was rejected.

And a second farmer group has also announced it wants to buy the land.

Shanghai Pengxin has been waiting for nine months for OIO approval.

In a statement issued to Country99TV reporter Benedict Collins, on Tuesday morning, Annelies McClure, Manager of the OIO says the The Overseas Investment Office has now received the information it requested from Milk New Zealand Holding Limited, and is now considering this information as part of its assessment of the application for consent. 

Ms McClure says the OIO is not in a position to advise when it will be able to provide its recommendation to Ministers.