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Asset Retirement Obligations
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
Asset Retirement Obligations  
Asset Retirement Obligations

13. Asset Retirement Obligations

        Bunge has asset retirement obligations with carrying amounts totaling $43 million and $71 million at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Asset retirement obligations are primarily in the agribusiness segment, related to the restoration of leased land to its original state and removal of the plants upon termination of the leases, and in its edible oil products segment, related to the removal of certain storage tanks associated with edible oil refining facilities.

        The change in carrying value of asset retirement obligations in 2010 consisted of additions of $6 million in the sugar and bioenergy segment related to the acquisition of Moema, a $3 million increase of the initial obligation, which resulted from a decrease in the discount rate used to calculate the present value ($2 million in the fertilizer segment and $1 million in the agribusiness segment), an increase of $3 million for accretion expense, an increase of $2 million related to currency translation and a decrease of $42 million in the fertilizer segment due to the sale of the nutrients assets (see Note 3 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements). The change in carrying value of asset retirement obligations in 2009 consisted of a $13 million increase of the initial obligation, which resulted from a decrease in the discount rate used to calculate the present value ($8 million in the fertilizer segment, $4 million in the agribusiness segment and $1 million in the edible oil products segment), an increase of $9 million for accretion expense and an increase of $13 million related to currency translation.