Ten days before a new round of sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, businessman Kustov withdrew part of his assets in the UAE and raised prices for feedstock raw materials. It does not seem that this position correlates with state interests …
According to the correspondent of The Moscow Post in the Krasnodar Territory, the main producer of Russian soybean meal, the EFKO Group Valery Kustov, sent out an offer to counterparties about a new price, which is almost 30% higher than the previous one. Soybean meal is a raw material for the production of feed for poultry and animals. Accordingly, poultry and livestock meat, as well as milk, will rise in price in a similar proportion. All this will affect the well-being of citizens. But Kustov, obviously, is not up to the Russians. He moved part of his business to the UAE ahead of time and can sleep peacefully. But was such a suspiciously early transfer of business outside of Russia possible without the participation of advisers from foreign special services?
Delighted by the price increase
The EFKO group of Valery Kustov is one of the main Russian producers of soybean meal and the largest supplier of palm oil. Taking advantage of his position, obviously, Kustov’s business has learned to squeeze the maximum. So the Kommersant edition on March 3, 2022 reported that the EFKO Group sent out a new commercial offer to counterparties. It follows from it that in March the price of soybean meal will be 66.9 thousand rubles per ton. Whereas a week ago it was about 51 thousand rubles per ton. That is, the increase occurred immediately by almost 30%.
Of course, no one forces buyers to take this product at the offered price. But where can you go if the offer came from one of the largest suppliers. At the same time, EFKO explains that soybean meal is imported, the dollar has grown, hence the increase. Although in comments to Kommersant, the director of the Sodruzhestvo Management Company, Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov, said that his company now does not increase the cost, and sometimes even softens the terms of contracts. But Valery Kustov, obviously, the desire to earn additional profit, I use excuses about the dollar and Ukraine, obviously, can prevail over common sense.
Soybean meal is used for the production of feed for poultry and livestock. The share of meal in compound feed is 30-40%. At the same time, it is hardly possible to completely replace soybean meal. Accordingly, mixed feed can also rise in price by 20-30%. As a result, poultry and livestock meat, as well as milk, will rise in price in comparable proportions. Thus, the actions of Valery Kustov’s EFKO Group may hit buyers’ pockets. To a certain extent, we can also talk about the shaken stability of Russia’s food security. Which is very fraught in the conditions of the developing conflict in Ukraine.
In order not to be dependent on the EFKO Group, counterparties seem to be ready for decisive measures even in difficult economic conditions. Thus, the Cherkizovo Group plans to solve the problem with the help of its own oilseeds processing plant. Sodruzhestve started talking about the construction of new processing facilities operating only on Russian soybeans.
Palm “bonza”
Valery Kustov seemed to know ahead of time about the problems that Russian business and the people of the country have now plunged into. As early as February 15, 2022, the EFKO Group disseminated information in the media about the transfer of the headquarters of its venture fund Fuel For Growth to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Fuel For Growth venture capital fund of EFKO shareholders is known for investing in projects in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, fuel cells and alternative products, including vegetable analogues of meat and milk.
The main assets of the EFKO Group are located in the Krasnodar Territory and Belgorod Region, which is native to the creator of this group. So in the Krasnodar Territory there are “palm gates of Russia.” There is a sea terminal in the village of Taman, through which the main import of palm oil to Russia goes. In the same place on Taman there is a plant of the EFKO Group for the processing of this product.
Meanwhile, it’s no secret that the consequences of constantly eating palm oil can be the most unpredictable. For example, to remove the red color and neutralize the specific smell of palm oil, it is heated to 200 degrees, which allegedly leads to the formation of toxic glycidyl ethers – GE, which, according to a report by the European Food Safety Authority, can provoke the development of oncology. But Kustova does not seem to be guided by the opinion of experts. For him, the sound of coins is obviously more important than anything else.
Nostradamus is resting
Yes, someone will say that tensions around the Ukrainian conflict have been building up over the past few years. However, this conflict entered its most acute phase due to Russia’s readiness to take drastic measures. It was in the last 2-3 months that one could observe the greatest activity of foreign media regarding the events in Ukraine. It is significant that Valery Kustov decided to move part of his business to the UAE just before the start of the hot stage.
At the same time, you need to understand that such a move, most likely, is not a matter of one or two days. Some preparation is needed. This one takes a lot of time. That is, the decision to move the business in the EFKO Group was made ahead of time. But the move itself came just in time. Wow, what a sense. It was as if one of the employees of foreign intelligence services advised Kustov when exactly it would be time to leave Russia.
In addition, Valery Kustov “became famous” and a very eccentric style of doing business. For example, according to the journal “The Secret of the Firm”, the owner of “EFKO” hired specialists in “psychocorrection and” psychophysiology” to work in the personnel service.
Each candidate for a place in the company, in addition to the usual tests, undergoes a mandatory interview on a lie detector and an encephalograph. But the most important, apparently, is the test for compliance with the “moral principles of the company.” Therefore, non-zombified ill-wishers of Valery Kustov very often compare EFKO with a sect.
If an employee of the company wants to be promoted, then he must write a letter to the personnel service. After that, the candidate undergoes a medical examination, professional certification and “psychodiagnostics”. And then he goes to a training center for a month. The regime is like in the army – getting up at 6.00, lights out at 22.00.
Every day – lectures on psychology and humanitarian subjects, visits to the corporate museum of Scythian culture, which is a traditional Scythian barrow with a burial chamber.
Moreover, it is significant that Valery Kustov’s business was transferred not to Europe, but to the Emirates. These are European countries and the United States is now as if competing in who will come up with the toughest and most sophisticated sanctions. And the Emirates are not going to hit Russia, its business and people.
Valery Kustov turned out to be surprisingly perspicacious. He seemed to know what the Arab sheiks and the Turkish president would do. A very limited circle of people have an insider of this level. But these faces seem to have shared it with Valery Kustov. Another question: what does he give or give in return? An increase in the selling price for the products of the EFKO group, sold in Russia, provides the resources that, obviously, Kustov can share.