Loan insured by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) is designed to ensure steady soybean and corn supply to Japan

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP advised Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) in providing a $200 million loan to leading Brazilian soybean producer Amaggi Commodities, a transaction insured by the Japanese export credit agency Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI). SMBC acted as Lender, Mandated Lead Arranger, Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, and NEXI Agent.

The Milbank team representing SMBC consisted of partner Daniel Bartfeld, New York-based head of the firm’s Global Project Finance practice group, and Project Finance associates Fernando Capellão and Laura Verlangieri, as well as international attorney Concy Gonçalves.

The loan to Amaggi, with a term of six years, is expected to be amortized with earnings from export contracts entered into by Amaggi, and is secured by a lien on those contracts.

Amaggi, established in 1977, operates in central and western Brazil and is one of the world’s largest growers and processors of soybeans, as well as corn and cotton. The facility is aimed at strengthening Amaggi’s capacity for production of export-quality grains and helping ensure delivery of grains and related foodstuffs to Japan.

“This is a terrific transaction for our group, highlighting our Asian and Latin American strengths, and bringing together one of Japan’s premier lenders with one of South America’s preeminent commodity producers,” Mr. Bartfeld said.

“As reported, SMBC’s financing is a key component of a mutual commitment of the Japanese and Brazilian governments to strengthen cooperation and trading between the two nations, helping Amaggi expand its exports to Japan and boosting supplies of key foodstuffs into the country, namely soybeans and corn,” said Fernando Capellão.

SMBC was also represented by Brazilian firm Santos Neto Advogados, and Appleby of the British Virgin Islands.