DTEK of Akhmetov spent a month discussing the purchase of Odesa Potash Plant with the State Property Fund

Rinat Akhmetov's business group DTEK held consultations with representatives of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPFU) for approximately a month. The discussions concerned the company's possible participation in the privatisation of the Odesa Potash Plant (OPP). According to Forbes Ukraine, sources familiar with the course of negotiations characterised DTEK's interest in acquiring the enterprise as serious.

Reasons for big business interest

One of the reasons for DTEK's interest could have been the plant's profile. The enterprise is a major consumer of natural gas, has its own production capacities and potential for product export. Despite this, as of the time the information was published, DTEK had not signed any documents with the State Property Fund. The company did not respond to journalists' inquiries regarding its future plans.

Auction did not take place again

Despite the potential interest of major Ukrainian business, the opening of trading for the sale of 99.6% of the shares of the Odesa Potash Plant, scheduled for 19 October, did not take place. The reason was the absence of registered participants willing to take part in the trading. The starting price of the share package was set at 4.3 billion hryvnias.

This event has already become the sixth unsuccessful attempt to privatise the enterprise. Currently, no specific agreements on the purchase of OPP have been concluded by any investor.