Global agribusiness giant Cargill and a consortium formed by Louis Dreyfus Co and Brazilian grain trader Amaggi (ALDC) were among the winners of a competitive auction to operate three terminals at the Port of Paranaguá in Brazil for 35 years, World Grain wrote.
Combined bids at the Sáo Paulo Stock Exchange for the PAR 14, 15 and 25 port areas reached BRL855M (US$150.64M), according to port administrator Portos do Paraná.
The successful companies were also expected to invest BRL2.2bn (US$387.62M) in future improvements, the 2 May report said.
All the areas auctioned at Brazil’s second busiest port have existing facilities and infrastructure and handle solid vegetable bulk, mainly soyabeans, soyabean meal and corn, according to the report.
One of a record six bids for PAR15, Cargill’s winning bid of BRL411M (US$72.41M) was the highest amount at the auction.
The ALDC consortium was one of five bidders for PAR25 and won with a bid of BRL219M (US$38.58M).
PAR14 was won by Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual Commodities with a bid of BRL225m (US$39.64M).
“I believe that the great competition is due to the fact that we are reaching the last auction areas, which are extremely relevant for agriculture, being one of the main export corridors in the country,” Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports executive secretary Mariana Pescatori was quoted as saying.
Brazil has established itself as the world’s top supplier of soyabeans, with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasting that the country will produce 173M tonnes of soyabeans and export a record 112M tonnes in 2025/26.
