The AMCU's decision will lead to a rotation in the top five grain exporters from Ukraine

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has approved the acquisition of control by Bunge Global SA over global agro-trader Viterra Limited (part of Glencore), the Committee said in a statement dated December 12. In Ukraine, the business of these two companies is the export of grain, oilseeds and sunflower oil, and related storage and processing infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and latifundist.com, last year these two companies accounted for approximately 3% of total grain exports from Ukraine. In the event of an M&A, the combined structure's share in Ukrainian agricultural exports could increase to 7%, which would be the second largest after Kernel, controlled by Andriy Verevsky, and surpass Andriy Vadatursky's Nibulon.

Negotiations on the M&A of the two companies have been ongoing since the beginning of the year. According to Reuters , the American grain trader Bunge, with a current value of about $14 billion (and debt of $2.7 billion), will pay mostly in shares. Bank financing will also be attracted. The combined company will be controlled by Bunge management. It should become a giant in the agricultural trading market with a value of at least $30 billion.

In Ukraine, on December 1, export support rules for agricultural exports came into effect, due to which cargo ships of some Ukrainian companies were temporarily blocked in ports.