Canada clears $34 billion Bunge-Viterra merger with circumstances

By Ismail Shakil

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada on Tuesday accepted with circumstances U.S. grains service provider Bunge (NYSE:BG)’s $34 billion merger with Glencore-backed Viterra, clearing one of many last remaining obstacles for a worldwide agriculture tie-up that’s unprecedented in greenback worth.

The circumstances for the approval embrace Bunge’s divestiture of six grain elevators in Western Canada and a binding dedication from Bunge to take a position at the least C$520 million ($362 million) in Canada throughout the subsequent 5 years, in accordance with an announcement from the transport ministry.

The approval additionally requires strict and legally binding controls on Bunge’s minority stake in Saudi-owned grain firm G3 to make sure Bunge can’t affect G3’s pricing or funding choices, the ministry stated. Bunge, Viterra and G3 account for a mixed one-third of Western Canada’s elevator capability.

The merger, introduced in 2023, would create a worldwide crops buying and selling and processing big price $34 billion together with debt, nearer in scale with chief rivals Archer-Daniels-Midland Co and Cargill Inc.

“With the Canadian approval, we’re nearing completion of the regulatory course of and count on to shut in early 2025,” Bunge stated in an announcement to Reuters.

The deal, accepted by shareholders, would make the mixed firm higher in a position to capitalize on an anticipated surge in demand for soybean and canola oil to supply biofuels in coming years than its rivals, however extra consolidation within the business leaves farmers with fewer patrons for his or her crops.

Canada’s antitrust watchdog flagged issues across the deal in April, saying in a non-binding report that the transaction was more likely to hurt competitors for grain buying in Western Canada, in addition to for promoting canola oil in Japanese Canada.

The transport ministry stated its circumstances tackle the issues raised throughout the public curiosity evaluation of the acquisition.

Bunge CEO Greg Heckman had stated that he didn’t see the necessity for cures in Canada.

In clearing the deal, the transport minister has required the organising of a worth safety program for sure purchasers of canola oil in Central and Atlantic Canada to safeguard truthful pricing and market stability.

“This choice underscores the significance of selling financial progress in Canada, whereas sustaining sturdy oversight to guard competitors and the general public curiosity,” Transport Minister Anita Anand stated within the assertion.

($1 = 1.4355 Canadian {dollars})