The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose Elders Limited’s proposed acquisition of Delta Agribusiness after accepting a court‑enforceable undertaking requiring Elders to divest six Delta stores in Western Australia.
Elders and Delta both supply rural merchandise — including agricultural chemicals, seed, fertiliser and animal health products — and provide agronomy and other farm services through their retail networks. The ACCC said its review focused on competition in the “local areas where both Elders and Delta have a retail store”, and on the strength of other local retailers and suppliers.
The regulator had expressed concern that the takeover, as initially proposed, could “substantially lessen competition in several local areas in Western Australia.” To address those concerns, Elders has agreed to sell six Delta outlets in WA. The ACCC has approved Independent Rural Pty Ltd as the purchaser of Delta stores in Dalwallinu and Kalannie, and E. E. Muir & Sons Pty Limited (Muirs) as the purchaser of stores in Albany, Hyden, Manypeaks and Wellstead.
Following further enquiries, the ACCC concluded the takeover is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in other local retail markets where both firms operate, and is also unlikely to harm competition at broader regional, state or national levels, or in the wholesale supply of rural merchandise in Western Australia.
The ACCC said the undertaking provided by Elders “addresses the competition concerns that would otherwise arise from the proposed acquisition.” It added that the approved purchasers will provide “a strong, independent and viable long‑term competitor to Elders in those six areas.”
Elders operates some 245 Elders‑owned retail stores nationally and supplies independent stores through its national wholesale business, Australian Independent Rural Retailers (AIRR). The company also offers agronomy services, livestock and wool agency, real estate, financial services and feed and processing operations.
Delta runs about 64 retail stores across regional New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and operates a wholesale business, Delta WA, in Western Australia. Delta also provides agronomic services, livestock agency, grain marketing, real estate and financial services.
Further details, including the court‑enforceable undertaking, are available on the ACCC’s public register.
