The failure to open up the bidding process for Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria continues to be a talking point in the industry.The Victorian government this week said it would sell Rural Finance to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank for about A$1.78 billion.Banking Day has learned that some years ago Suncorp made it clear to the treasurer of the state, and to the Department of Treasury and Finance, that it would be interested in any future sales process. Suncorp's origins are, in part, in agribusiness finance in Queensland.Suncorp did not want to comment but it's clear the Brisbane-based bank did not get a chance to bid in the recent process.Bank of Queensland also did not want to comment.Nor did JP Morgan, the adviser to the Department of Treasury and Finance on the sale.The Financial Review this week quoted the treasurer, Michael O'Brien, saying a sales process might lead to cherry-picking of clients by rivals, a minor risk for an entity that makes more than half of its loans on a subsidised basis to struggling businesses.