A PYMNTS Company

China Clears $8.2 Billion Bunge-Viterra Merger

By  |  June 16, 2025

China has conditionally approved Bunge Global SA’s $8.2 billion acquisition of rival agricultural giant Viterra, clearing the final major regulatory hurdle for the landmark deal, according to Bloomberg. The approval came with several stipulations designed to safeguard China’s food supply and preserve market competition.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    Bunge announced the regulatory nod from Beijing on Friday, marking a key milestone in its efforts to merge with Viterra and form one of the most powerful players in global agribusiness. The deal, first unveiled in June 2023, aims to position the combined company alongside industry leaders such as Cargill Inc.

    Following the announcement, Bunge shares rose as much as 4.4% on Monday, extending gains from the previous session. However, the approval from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) came with firm conditions. Per Bloomberg, Chinese authorities flagged concerns about the merged firm’s expanded control over the nation’s imports of soybeans, barley, and rapeseed—crops central to China’s food and feed supply.

    To address these risks, SAMR is requiring Bunge-Viterra to continue supplying these crops to Chinese clients at “fair” market prices. The company must also ensure timely, sufficient, and reliable deliveries. Additionally, the newly merged firm will be obligated to submit quarterly reports to Chinese regulators comparing current sales volumes to the 2021–2024 average, Bloomberg reported.

    Read more: Canadian Government Approves Bunge-Viterra Merger with Conditions

    The conditions were part of a compliance plan Bunge and Viterra submitted to Chinese regulators earlier this month. Bloomberg noted that China often imposes behavioral remedies in such deals, not only to preserve competition but also to align with broader strategic or industrial policy goals—approaches that differ from typical antitrust practices in many Western jurisdictions.

    Bunge, headquartered in Missouri, is part of the so-called ABCD group of commodity trading titans that dominate global agricultural markets. While the company initially expected to close the transaction by mid-2024, the timeline was extended as it awaited sign-offs from key regulators.

    Regulatory authorities in the European Union and Canada had previously cleared the deal, though they, too, expressed concerns over market concentration. Argentina, another major agricultural player, has yet to rule on the merger, though its laws allow the transaction to proceed with any required adjustments potentially implemented afterward.

    Although geopolitical friction between the U.S. and China added to the regulatory complexity, the conditional approval from Beijing effectively paves the way for Bunge to finalize its takeover of Viterra.

    Source: Bloomberg