Investment group “Russian funds” the first head of the Board of Directors of Rambler Sergei Vasiliev and his partners became interested in the agricultural industry. The structure of the group has agreed to buy 0.5 bn in the Smolensk region of the plant for the production of oil, which plans to expand. To work with a new investor it will be difficult: the domestic market is consolidated, and the prospect of exports from the region is questionable.Subsidiary of JSC “Russian funds” LLC “AgriTek” buys the property complex of the plant for the production of vegetable oils of the bankrupt LLC “Ranlux”. This follows from the register of information on bankruptcy and data register. “Russian funds” investment group the first Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Internet holding company Rambler Sergei Vasiliev and his partners. Specializiruetsya on mergers and acquisitions, real estate investments and asset management. Among the projects gold mining holding “Seligdar”, trader of petroleum products “Neftelayn trade” and so forth.”Granlux” managed the complex for the production of vegetable oils in the Smolensk region with a refining capacity of 90 thousand tons per year. At its peak in 2017, the company received a 1.71 billion RUB of revenue and 28,37 million rubles of net profit, should be “SPARK-Interfax”. But business went bad and in 2019 “Granlux” was declared bankrupt. Total production was invested about 1.2 billion rubles, of which 1.05 billion RUB issued Rosselkhozbank, according to the investment portal of the region. According to the register, the owner of the company is Vyacheslav defoliation.”AgriTek” agreed about purchase of the company for the production of oil for 509,9 million rubles, the contract of sale. Sergei Vasiliev confirmed to Kommersant the deal. According to him, the group prepared a work plan for industrial complex and its expansion. The project is seen as a long-term, other details Mr. Vasiliev did not disclose.In the current season production of vegetable oil in Russia can grow by 9% to 6.8 million tons, including 5.6 million tons of sunflower, the report said the group “Rusagro” (brands “the Dream mistress”, “Generous summer”, etc.). The major players in the bottled vegetable oil market (“South of Russia”, “Good”, “EFKO”, Bunge and “Rusagro”) in 2019, held in the aggregate 59% of the market.Executive Director, oil and fat Union Mikhail Maltsev said that the processing capacity of 90 thousand tons per year does not allow to develop own product line: these companies sell oil to spill to other sites or supply products under the brands of retailers. The difficult market, domestic consumption is formed, and the opportunities for growth there, so the portfolio investor in the industry will work hard, says Mr. Maltsev.I agree with this opinion the Director of “Sovekon” Andrey Sizov. He added��t that competition in the bottled oil segment is required to enhance the business and prospects of export of Smolensk region is questionable. In addition, the region can be difficulties with raw materials, he adds. The CEO of the Institute for agricultural market studies Dmitry Rylko said that “Granlux” mainly engaged in the processing of rapeseed, and Smolensk oblast is located near the zones of production of this crop. A new investor could also produce other uncommon varieties of oils such as linseed, he says.Butter in the Smolensk region may not be the only interest in the industry have “Russian funds”. As follows from the data register, the structure of the group — OOO “Agroprodsoyuz” received 51% in the poultry complex “Tverskaya Turkey”, and created in Karelia company “Aquarex Bio”, the main activity of which indicates the fishery. To disclose the details of these projects Sergei Vasiliev also did not, noting that “Russian funds” consider the agricultural industry as a strategic direction. Managing Director of Peregrine Capital Dmitry Gabyshev says private equity interested in Russian agriculture the last two years, “this sector was not very profitable and capital intensive, and now the situation has changed.”Anatoly Kostyriv
