PPF Group enters the agriculture industry in Russia
07/27/2011
PPF Group N.V. announces that through its subsidiary, Bavella B.V., it has acquired 100% of Russian agricultural holding company CJSC RAV Agro-Pro, based in Voronezh, Russia. International investment fund, RP Capital, contributed to the transaction as co-investor with a 20% stake in Bavella B.V. The price, as well as further details of the transaction have not been disclosed, following the agreement between the two parties. The transaction has been already approved by the appropriate Russian regulators.
RAV Agro-Pro is being acquired from major agricultural businesses within the so-called Chernozem areas of Central and Southern Russia. Its portfolio in arable land consists of 164,500 hectars in Voronezh, Oryol, Penza, Rostov and Kursk regions. The company also owns significant production capacities in Livestock, thus creating a basis for a vertical integration of its agricultural output with a huge potential for future growth.
In line with the Group’s strategy of industry diversification , PPF is now entering into a new, promising segment that offers potential growth. The goal is to increase the efficiency of the business both by know-how transfer thanks to international management team with experience in similar sized markets, and through a significant improvement of all processes.
Agriculture is a traditional segment of the Russian economy and its development plays an important role in increasing the country’s living standards.This investment brings yet more evidence of PPF’s position as one of the significant foreign investors in Russia‘s real economy.