Other current assets consist of the following: | | | | | | | | | | (US$ in millions) | | September 30, 2017 | | December 31, 2016 | Unrealized gains on derivative contracts, at fair value | | $ | 1,024 |
| | $ | 1,327 |
| Prepaid commodity purchase contracts (1) | | 418 |
| | 273 |
| Secured advances to suppliers, net (2) | | 377 |
| | 601 |
| Recoverable taxes, net | | 459 |
| | 467 |
| Margin deposits | | 277 |
| | 251 |
| Marketable securities, at fair value and other short-term investments | | 544 |
| | 94 |
| Deferred purchase price receivable, at fair value (3) | | 123 |
| | 87 |
| Income taxes receivable | | 235 |
| | 181 |
| Prepaid expenses | | 147 |
| | 148 |
| Other | | 277 |
| | 216 |
| Total | | $ | 3,881 |
| | $ | 3,645 |
|
| | (1) | Prepaid commodity purchase contracts represent advance payments against contracts for future delivery of specified quantities of agricultural commodities. |
| | (2) | Bunge provides cash advances to suppliers, primarily Brazilian farmers of soybeans and sugarcane, to finance a portion of the suppliers’ production costs. Bunge does not bear any of the costs or operational risks associated with the related growing crops. The advances are largely collateralized by future crops and physical assets of the suppliers, carry a local market interest rate, and settle when the farmer’s crop is harvested and sold. The secured advances to farmers are reported net of allowances of $1 million at September 30, 2017 and $1 million at December 31, 2016. There were no significant changes in the allowance at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. |
Interest earned on secured advances to suppliers of $7 million and $7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $34 million and $25 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, is included in net sales in the condensed consolidated statements of income. | | (3) | Deferred purchase price receivable represents additional credit support for the investment conduits in Bunge’s accounts receivables sales program (see Note 13). |
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