Agria Corporation, the new cornerstone shareholder in farm service and supply company PGG Wrightson, considered investment in other New Zealand companies before cementing a deal on Friday.

Beijing-based PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) associate director John Layburn said Agria had been involved in discussions with a number of companies over the last two years – essentially since it listed on the New York Stock Exchange in November 2007.

“PGW is the one we chose,” he said.

He refused to say which other companies were considered.