African Industries Group (AIG), controlled by Raj and Alok Gupta, already active in Romania’s agriculture, received the competition council’s permit to take over Padova Agriculture – the owner of the largest local rice farm that stretches over 5,000ha – and Contara, another farm controlled by the same Italian owner, Ziarul Financiar reported.

The seller is the Italian Roncato group, managed by Giovanni Roncato.

Padova Agricultura is the largest local rice producer, with a cultivated area of ​​over 5,000 hectares in the south-east of Romania. In addition to rice, the company cultivates and markets wheat, corn, barley, rapeseed, sunflower, alfalfa and soybeans on about 2,500 hectares.

Until 2022, Contara produced and sold rice crops, but, starting with the 2022 agricultural year, the activity focused on the production of cereals such as corn, wheat and sunflower.

(Photo: Siamimages | Dreamstime.com)

iulian@romania-insider.com