Cargill’s Brazil Unit to Build New Corn Ethanol Plant

By Roberto Samora

SAO PAULO, Aug. 15 (Reuters) – A unit of U.S.-based grain merchant Cargill will build a corn ethanol plant adjacent to its sugarcane plant in Brazil’s Center-Western state of Goias, the company said on Friday.

Agribusiness portal AgFeed reported the plans first. Cargill confirmed the business decision but declined to disclose other details of the project.

Cargill already produces ethanol from sugarcane and corn in Goias. The company’s biofuels subsidiary in Brazil is called Cargill Bioenergia.

The new plant’s construction is another step by Cargill to grow production of biofuels in Brazil, a global grains powerhouse.

In February, Cargill agreed to purchase a 50% stake in SJC Bioenergia, giving it control of the company’s assets in the towns of Quirinopolis and Cachoeira Dourada, both in Goias.

(Reporting by Roberto Samora; writing by Ana Mano; editing by Diane Craft)