Fruit and veg giant Costa up for sale

Fruit and vegetable producer Costa Group is up for sale, with its owners considering a stock market listing or a trade sale.

Australia's largest private fruit and vegetable producer, Costa Group, is up for sale.

The Victorian-based company's chairman Frank Costa has told The Australian Financial Review he is considering a stock market listing and trade sale of the business, which is half-owned by US private equity outfit Paine & Partners.

Costa farms more than 4,000 hectares of land across Australia, growing tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, bananas, berries, citrus fruit and grapes.