ADM starts expansion of Santos grain terminal in Brazil

Thomson ReutersThe world’s largest corn mill of global grain company Archer Daniels Midland is pictured in Decatur

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – U.S. trader Archer Daniels Midland said on Tuesday it has begun work on expanding its bulk grains terminal and silo space at Brazil’s port of Santos.

Greg Morris, ADM’s head of processing, said in a statement the work will raise the company’s capacity to move grains through the terminal to 8 million tonnes from a current 6 million tonnes annually.

The expansion and modernization is also expected to help reduce the trader’s emission of particulates of grain dust into the air around its terminal, which had prompted complaints from local businesses and residents.

The expansion project is expected to be finished in 2017.

“We are continuing also with the expansion of our export terminal … in Barcarena (in Para state), which will raise capacity to 6 million tonnes annually,” Morris said.

ADM recently sold a stake in the terminal to commodities rival Glencore. The Barcarena terminal is part of a trend among major grain traders to open export routes through Brazil’s northern corridor for grains to avoid logistic bottlenecks moving raw materials through main southern ports.

ADM opened its terminal concession at Santos in 1997 and in 2015 extended its concession to operate the terminal at the port until 2037.

(Reporting by Roberto Samora; Writing by Reese Ewing; Editing by David Gregorio)

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