Tkachev Agrocomplex might acquire Belgorod poultry producer Prioskolye - paper
KRASNODAR. Jan 17 (Interfax) - Tkachev Agrocomplex, one of Russia's largest agribusiness groups might acquire the assets of JSC Prioskolye, a major poultry producer in Belgorod Region, national daily Kommersant reported on Friday, citing market sources.
Prioskolye could be worth about 50 billion rubles, Agrifood Strategies president Albert Davleyev told the paper. He said the company has strong market positions, but noted that its main operations are located in Belgorod Region, close to an area of active combat.
The paper reported a market source as saying that Tkachev Agrocomplex's owner, former Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev might only buy Prioskolye at a substantial discount.
Details of the deal have not been disclosed. Prioskolye's founder, former Belgorod Region Deputy Governor Gennady Bobritsky is wanted by the authorities on fraud charges. He was detained in 2023 and held in detention for nine months, after which he was released to house arrest and subsequently disappeared.
A partner at law firm Rustam Kurmayev & Partners, Dmitry Kletochkin told the paper that if the ultimate beneficiary owns a business through third parties, it is not difficult to sell it. If they own the company directly, a deal can be made in a third country with a notarized power of attorney.
A partner at Zalesov, Timofeyev, Gusev & Partners, Anton Gusev added that an asset can also be sold based on a court order to reimburse damages. A guilty verdict is required, but Russia has the mechanism of trials in absentia.
The paper reported one market source as saying that Prioskolye's shares are now frozen.
Prioskolye was Russia's third largest broiler producer in 2023 with 451,000 tonnes after Resource Agribusiness Group with 1.045 million tonnes and Cherkizovo Group with 986,000 tonnes, according to the National Poultry Union. Tkachev Agrocomplex was fourth with 424,000 tonnes.
Production of poultry and other livestock for slaughter in Russia, by all categories of producers, grew to 16.74 million tonnes in 2024, the highest figure in the history of Russia and the Soviet Union, tentative data from the Agriculture Ministry showed. This included a record 7.1 million tonnes of poultry for slaughter.
Prioskolye is a vertically integrated poultry producer with 16 feed lots with capacity to produce 430,000 tonnes of poultry in live weight per year, multiplication farms with capacity to produce 270 million eggs per year, six hatcheries with capacity to produce 288 million broiler chicks, three slaughter and meat processing plants with capacity for 48,900 chickens per hour and two advanced poultry meat processing shops with capacity to produce 40 tonnes of sausage products per day.
