Cargill announced the company will stop selling seed, fertilizer and crop chemicals to farmers in the Black Sea region. The announcement comes as Cargill continues to cut back operations given the current commodity prices, according to Reuters. The privately held company is restructuring to improve how it responds to market swings. Cargill will immediately start winding down its crop input business in Black Sea region countries like Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Hungary. The company will completely exit the region by June of this year. Cargill says exiting the business will impact about 180 employees. Cargill reported 25,000 employees in Europe, the Middle East and Africa last year and 150,000 worldwide, according to a 2015 corporate fact sheet. A statement by Cargill said, “the company will refocus its attention on its grain and oilseeds origination, merchandising and trading activities in these markets.” However, Cargill will continue to sell crop inputs in other countries, including the U.S. and Canada, where Cargill AgHorizons operates a network of facilities that buy grain from farmers and sell inputs.
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