By Ana Mano
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -SALIC International Investment Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, told Brazilian competition authorities on Wednesday it is a passive minority shareholder in rival food producers BRF and Minerva.
SIIC, which owns 11.03% of BRF and 24.49% of Minerva, said "it does not hold any political rights that would allow it to interfere with or influence the independence and normal course of business and management of BRF and Minerva."
The Saudi investor's clarification comes after a formal information request made by Brazil's antitrust watchdog CADE regarding the proposed takeover of BRF by Marfrig.
The deal was approved by the minority shareholders of both companies on Tuesday. The Saudi investor abstained from voting and did not participate in the merger discussions of BRF and Marfrig, according to CADE's disclosures.
Separately, CADE cleared the proposed transaction in early June. But CADE's nod was later challenged by Minerva, which asked it to scrutinize the deal more closely.
Minerva claimed the merger would involve the transfer of BRF's current shareholders, including SALIC, to Marfrig's shareholding structure through a share swap. Minerva said if the transaction went ahead, the Saudi investor would gain influence over the business decisions of three competitors: Minerva, Marfrig, and BRF.
BRF and Marfrig did not comment.
CADE responded to Minerva by agreeing with a more prolonged merger review, according to a public decision on Monday.
"The alleged facts, if proven, may indicate a possible alignment of interests and exchange of sensitive information between ... competitors," CADE's general superintendent wrote. That decision must be confirmed by a virtual CADE panel on August 11.
By law, CADE has a 240-day deadline to investigate complex mergers, extendable by 90 days.
If approved, Marfrig and BRF will create another global Brazilian food processor, with factories across the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.
(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Chris Reese)
