A non-Executive Director of Asian Citrus, an AIM-100 Chinese orange grower, has bought 256,000 shares for himself and his wife.
Peregrine Moncreiffe and his wife, Miranda Moncreiffe, purchased the shares at an average price of 37.95p each for a total of £97,152.
Winterthur Pension Management, in which Moncreiffe has an interest, also purchased 268,560 at 37.55p for a total of £100,844.
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Following the transactions, Moncreiffe, Mrs Moncreiffe and Winterthur now hold 1,078,000 shares, 128,000 shares and 268,560 shares, respectively.
The purchase came just a week after the firm hit back at what it claims is an inaccurate article in a Hong Kong magazine renowned for its investigations into alleged fraudulent activities by listed Chinese companies.
Hong Kong-based Next magazine has cast doubts on the accuracy of Asian Citrus's claims viz land ownership, fruit production and the value of its plantations, prompting a detailed rebuttal from the AIM-listed orchard owner.
The farming group maintained that it "has very efficient and comprehensive internal control systems to measure and audit its plantations' production and corresponding revenue," and thus stands by the figures shown in its company reports.
The share price fell 1.65% to 37.25p on the day of the purchase, having lost 50% over the last year.
Top Director Buys
Asian Citrus Holding (ACHL)
Director name: Hon Peregrine D E M Moncreiffe
Amount purchased: 268,560 @ 37.55p
Value: £100,844
Asian Citrus Holding (ACHL)
Director name: Hon Peregrine D E M Moncreiffe
Amount purchased: 256,000 @ 37.95p
Value: £97,152
Baronsmead VCT (BDV)
Director name: Mr Godfrey F Jillings
Amount purchased: 92,554 @ 77.90p
Value: £72,100
Grainger (GRI)
Director name: Mr Mark Greenwood
Amount purchased: 34,104 @ 110.42p
Value: £37,658
Wilmington Group (WIL)
Director name: Mr Neil Smith
Amount purchased: 33,300 @ 89.00p
Value: £29,637
Baronsmead VCT 3 (BMD)
Director name: Mr Anthony Townsend
Amount purchased: 19,198 @ 107.30p
Value: £20,599
Baronsmead VCT 2 (BVT)
Director name: Ms Christina McComb
Amount purchased: 20,315 @ 101.40p
Value: £20,599
Baronsmead VCT 4 (BNS)
Director name: Mr Alan Pedder
Amount purchased: 20,517 @ 100.40p
Value: £20,599
eXpansys (XPS)
Director name: Mr Chris Ogle
Amount purchased: 550,000 @ 1.92p
Value: £10,560
Baronsmead VCT (BDV)
Director name: Mr Peter Lawrence
Amount purchased: 13,222 @ 77.90p
Value: £10,300
Top Director Sells
Discovery Metals Ltd. (CDI) (DME)
Director name: Mr Stuart Bradley (Brad) Sampson
Amount sold: 500,000 @ 105.34p
Value: £526,700
Discovery Metals Ltd. (CDI) (DME)
Director name: Mr Gordon Galt
Amount sold: 275,000 @ 105.34p
Value: £289,685
Discovery Metals Ltd. (CDI) (DME)
Director name: Mr John Thomas Shaw
Amount sold: 250,000 @ 105.34p
Value: £263,350
