Bunge has posted a larger-than-expected quarterly profit and warns that 2025 earnings could sink to the lowest level in six years as trade tensions and biofuel policy uncertainty drag on the agricultural sector.

Bunge’s 2024 profit fell short of expectations after weak oilseed processing margins slashed fourth-quarter earnings in its core agribusiness segment. Bunge shares were down 5.2 per cent at one point on Wednesday.

The struggles come as Bunge is working to close a deal to acquire grain handler Viterra, a merger that would create an agribusiness powerhouse closer in size to  Archer-Daniels-Midland and Cargill.

Bunge said regulatory approvals for that deal were in the late stages.

On Tuesday, Archer Dianels Midland (ADM) posted its lowest fourth-quarter profit in six years and said it was slashing costs and cutting jobs, joining Cargill in tightening its belt.

(Neil Billinger, CJWW)