Bunge invests US$5M in Italian soybean plant to increase local processing
The company has completed a US$5 million upgrade that will increase soybean processing and expand support for Italian farmers.
ITALY – Bunge Global SA has completed a €4.4 million (US$5 million) investment at its soybean processing facility in Porto Corsini, Ravenna, increasing storage capacity, improving seed handling and expanding laboratory testing as it prepares for the 2026 harvest.
The construction work finished in June, and Bunge expects the upgraded plant to begin full operations before the next harvest season. The company said the project will double the processing of soybeans grown in Italy while continuing to process soybeans from other countries.
“Our investment in Porto Corsini reflects our commitment to Italian farmers and customers in the food, feed and fuel sectors,” said Saverio Panico, Bunge country manager for Italy. “It strengthens our ability to source locally while integrating crops from other sources, contributing to Italy’s food security and the supply of sustainable raw materials through stable and reliable supplies.”
The upgrade includes a modern seed receiving system, a new rear truck unloading facility that works alongside the existing side unloading system, additional storage through a new silo and chain conveyors, and a larger in-house laboratory for faster and more detailed testing.
Bunge said the expanded plant will increase its purchases of soybeans from Italy’s main growing regions, including Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy and Friuli Venezia Giulia. The soybeans will supply the food, animal feed and biofuel sectors while giving local farmers more market opportunities.
The company added that the investment strengthens Ravenna’s position as an important link between Italian harvests and customers across Italy and Europe.
Italy remains the European Union’s largest soybean producer. The European Union expects the country to harvest about 848,000 tonnes of soybeans in 2026 after production stayed above one million tonnes for the previous three years.
Bunge, which is based in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, operates several ports and offices across Italy. Its Porto Corsini site includes a soybean crushing plant that produces vegetable oil and meal for animal feed, a multi oil refinery, a vegetable oil bottling plant and a biodiesel production facility.
The investment adds to Bunge’s efforts to strengthen its processing network and increase the supply of locally sourced raw materials for customers in the food, feed and renewable fuel industries while supporting Italy’s soybean sector.
Sign up to HERE receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
