BUENOS AIRES/LONDON: Top U.S. grain merchant Archer Daniels Midland Co has approached Argentine soy crusher Molinos Agro about buying the company’s livestock feed and soyoil manufacturing plant, and talks may continue, three sources said. Molinos and other Argentine soy crushers have been pummeled by fallout from the U.S.-China trade policy war which has given U.S. crushers a competitive advantage. The discussions began last year and then stalled over the price that ADM would pay for Molinos, a Buenos Aires-based industry source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters. ADM declined to comment. A spokesman for the Perez Companc business group, which controls Molinos Agro, said the company had been approached “several times” by potential buyers. Without mentioning ADM in particular, the spokesman said “the offers were rejected.” It was unclear how much Molinos, controlled by the Perez Companc business group, was valued at during the negotiations. “ADM backed off because of the asking price,” the Buenos Aires-based industry source said. “There were differences in the valuation of the company. But it is logical that ADM could be back knocking on the door of Molinos.” The Argentine company reported 665.9 million pesos (US$18.5 million) in net earnings for the April through September period. Company results could be pressured by tensions over global trade policy in the months ahead, the source said. “Next year will be a great year for buying soy crushing companies in Argentina, and a bad year for selling them,” the source added. Argentine crushers are working at about… [Read full story]
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