MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) — Russian fertilizer producer Uralchem would be interested in buying the Russian assets of global grain traders Viterra and Cargill if they decide to leave Russia, the company said in a letter seen by Reuters.
Spokespersons for Cargill and Viterra’s Russian operations said that their respective companies do not plan to leave the country.
Dozens of foreign firms, including McDonald’s, have left Russia since Moscow sent thousands of troops to Ukraine on Feb. 24. However, food supplies are not targeted by western sanctions, and Viterra and Cargill continue operating in Russia.
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In a letter sent by Uralchem chief executive officer Dmitry Konyaev to President Vladimir Putin on Nov. 21, the company asked the president to support its proposal, saying that Viterra and Cargill’s grain trade overlaps with Uralchem’s business.
On Nov. 22 Putin signed “agree” on the letter and instructed Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to consider the proposal.
It is not the first attempt to draw Putin’s attention to global commodities traders in Russia. In September, sanctions-hit Russian VTB Bank in a letter to Putin called for the activities of western grain traders in Russia to be curbed.
However, agriculture minister Dmitry Patrushev said in early December that Russia does not intend to “kick out” foreign grain traders.
Cargill owns a stake in the grain terminal in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Viterra and VTB share ownership of a grain terminal in the Black Sea port of Taman.
Uralchem is building an ammonia export terminal in Taman, which it plans to launch late next year.
