| INVENTORIES |
INVENTORIES Inventories by segment are presented below. Readily marketable inventories (“RMI”) are agricultural commodity inventories, such as soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, corn, and wheat carried at fair value because of their commodity characteristics, widely available markets, and international pricing mechanisms. All other inventories are carried at lower of cost or net realizable value. | | | | | | | | | | (US$ in millions) | | September 30,
2017 | | December 31,
2016 | Agribusiness (1) | | $ | 4,536 |
| | $ | 3,741 |
| Edible Oil Products (2) | | 442 |
| | 404 |
| Milling Products | | 187 |
| | 167 |
| Sugar and Bioenergy (3) | | 583 |
| | 406 |
| Fertilizer | | 100 |
| | 55 |
| Total | | $ | 5,848 |
| | $ | 4,773 |
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| | (1) | Includes RMI of $4,398 million and $3,593 million at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Of these amounts, $3,351 million and $2,523 million can be attributable to merchandising activities at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. |
| | (2) | Includes RMI of bulk soybean and canola oil in the aggregate amount of $109 million and $123 million at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. |
| | (3) | Includes sugar RMI of $195 million and $139 million at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Of these amounts, $189 million and $139 million can be attributable to merchandising activities at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. |
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