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Investments in Affiliates
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
Investments in Affiliates  
Investments in Affiliates

10. Investments in Affiliates

        Bunge participates in several unconsolidated joint ventures and other investments accounted for on the equity method. The most significant of these at December 31, 2010 are described below. Bunge allocates equity in earnings of affiliates to its reporting segments.

Agribusiness

        Terminal 6 S.A. and Terminal 6 Industrial S.A.    Bunge has a joint venture in Argentina with Aceitera General Deheza S.A. (AGD), for the operation of the Terminal 6 port facility located in the Santa Fe province of Argentina. Bunge is also a party to a second joint venture with AGD that operates a crushing facility located adjacent to the Terminal 6 port facility. Bunge owns 40% and 50%, respectively, of these joint ventures. In 2010, Ecofuel S.A., of which Bunge is a 50% owner of this company along with AGD in Argentina, merged with Terminal 6 Industrial S.A. Ecofuel manufactured biodiesel products in the Santa Fe province of Argentina.

        The Solae Company.    Solae is a joint venture with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Solae is engaged in the global production and distribution of soy-based ingredients, including soy proteins and lecithins. Bunge has a 28.06% interest in Solae.

        Diester Industries International S.A.S. (DII).    Bunge is a party to a joint venture with Diester Industries, a subsidiary of Sofiproteol, specializing in the production and marketing of biodiesel in Europe. Bunge has a 40% interest in DII.

Sugar and Bioenergy

        Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg, LLC (BEV).    Bunge is a 50% owner of BEV along with Ergon Ethanol, Inc. BEV operates an ethanol plant at the Port of Vicksburg, Mississippi, where Bunge operates grain elevator facilities.

        Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC (SIRE).    Bunge is a 26% owner of SIRE. The other owners are primarily agricultural producers located in Southwest Iowa. SIRE operates an ethanol plant near Bunge's oilseed processing facility in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Food Products

        Harinera La Espiga, S.A. de C.V.    Bunge is a party to this joint venture in Mexico with Grupo Neva, S.A. de C.V. and Cerrollera, S.A. de C.V. The joint venture has wheat milling and bakery dry mix operations in Mexico. Bunge has a 31.5% interest in the joint venture.

Fertilizers

        Bunge Maroc Phosphore S.A.    Bunge has a 50% interest in this joint venture, to produce fertilizers in Morocco with Office Cherifien Des Phosphates (OCP). The joint venture was formed to produce fertilizer products in Morocco for shipment to Brazil, Argentina and certain other markets in Latin America. In 2008, Bunge contributed $61 million to this joint venture.

        Summarized combined financial information reported for all equity method affiliates and a summary of the amounts recorded in Bunge's consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 and for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 follows:

 
  December 31,  
(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009  

Combined financial position (unaudited):

             

Current assets

  $ 1,269   $ 1,268  

Non-current assets

    2,004     2,238  
           

Total assets

  $ 3,273   $ 3,506  
           

Current liabilities

    778     933  

Non-current liabilities

    600     640  

Stockholders' equity

    1,895     1,933  
           

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 3,273   $ 3,506  
           

Amounts recorded by Bunge:

             

Investments (1)

  $ 609   $ 622  

 

(US$ in millions)
  2010   2009   2008  

Combined results of operations (unaudited):

                   

Revenues

  $ 2,902   $ 5,407   $ 6,063  

Income before income tax and noncontrolling interest

    82     94     92  

Net income

    66     82     85  

Amounts recorded by Bunge:

                   

Equity in earnings of affiliates (2)

    27     80     34  

(1)
Approximately $5 million and $9 million of this amount at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, related to Bunge's investment in Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg, LLC. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, Bunge's investment exceeded its underlying equity in the net assets of BEV. Straight line amortization of this excess against equity in earnings of affiliates was $1 million and $4 million, respectively. Amortization of the excess has been attributed to fixed assets of Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg, LLC, which were being amortized over 15 years. At December 31, 2010 and 2009, Bunge's investment of $367 million and $360 million, respectively, equaled its underlying equity in the net assets of Solae.

(2)
In 2009, equity in earnings of affiliates includes a $66 million, (net of tax of $3 million), gain on the sale of Saipol. In 2008, Bunge's equity in earnings of Solae included impairment and restructuring charges of $5 million, net of a tax benefit of $2 million.