Monday, May 3, 2010

Breaking News-RTRS-ANALYSIS-Wilmar: Asia's next Cargill in China?

SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Reuters) - Singapore-listed Wilmar is shaping up to become the Asian version of agribusiness giant Cargill [CARG.UL], with an expanding network of farms, food processors and shipping companies.
And it's showing its muscle where it matters most -- in China.
Wilmar's integrated China operations account for 44.7 percent of its $10.3 billion assets, allowing it to weather recent volatile food prices and now a likely yuan policy change.
The company had the most to gain when Beijing in April slapped import curbs on Argentine soyoil -- a commodity that competes with Wilmar's domestically crushed oilseeds in China and imported palm oil.