Verde Agritech Ltd (TSX: “NPK”; OTCQX: “VNPKF”)
(“
Verde” or the “
Company”) is
pleased to announce that it has successfully renegotiated with
banks holding 73% of its outstanding loans. The Company expects the
remaining five creditor-banks to accept the same terms or face a
75% debt reduction by a court order, as per applicable Brazilian
legislation.
Under the renegotiated agreement, the repayment
term is extended to 120 months, with principal repayments suspended
for 18 months. Crucially, 90% of the principal will be repaid on a
staged schedule, starting after 55 months. The deal is anticipated
to yield cash savings of R$115 million over the next 24 months.
Additionally, all interest payments are
suspended for 18 months1, followed by an average nominal interest
payment based on Brazil’s CDI (Certificado de Depósito
Interbancário) plus 2.08%. The total interest rate has been
materially reduced, with the indexation above the CDI decreased by
approximately 50% compared to previous loan agreements.
“The renegotiation process was complex and
time-consuming, lasting several months. We are deeply grateful for
the support of our main lenders and appreciate their repeated
understanding of the severe crisis affecting the Brazilian
agricultural sector. Their continued commitment to supporting Verde
as it evolves into one of the world's leading suppliers of
low-carbon and sustainable fertilizers has been invaluable,” stated
Cristiano Veloso, Verde’s Founder and CEO.
Under applicable Brazilian law, when an
agreement is reached with the largest creditors, other creditors
are presented with two legal options: The first option allows the
standout creditors to adhere to the same terms and conditions
negotiated with the largest creditors, ensuring that they receive
the same benefits under the plan. This mechanism is grounded in the
principle of equal treatment among creditors, encouraging broader
acceptance of the agreement. The second option arises when a
standout creditor elects not to adhere to the terms of the
renegotiation. In this case, Brazilian legislation allows the
Company to impose less favorable conditions on those creditors. The
goal is to incentivize creditors to join the agreement while
ensuring that dissenting creditors do not gain undue advantage over
those who participate in the renegotiation.
For the debt renegotiation to become legally
binding, it must first be homologated by a Brazilian court. This
involves submitting the agreement to a judge, who will review it to
ensure that it complies with applicable legal requirements. The
court's review process typically takes a couple of months. Once the
judge issues a favorable opinion on the renegotiated terms, the
agreement becomes enforceable, and all creditors, whether they
choose to adhere to the plan or not, are required to comply with
the court-sanctioned conditions. Until the approval process the
payments are suspended and creditors are prevented from taking any
enforcement actions.
About Verde Agritech
Verde Agritech is dedicated to advancing
sustainable agriculture through the innovation of specialty
multi-nutrient potassium fertilizers. Our mission is to increase
agricultural productivity, enhance soil health, and significantly
contribute to environmental sustainability. Utilizing our unique
position in Brazil, we harness proprietary technologies to develop
solutions that not only meet the immediate needs of farmers but
also address global challenges such as food security and climate
change. Our commitment to carbon capture and the production of
eco-friendly fertilizers underscores our vision for a future where
agriculture contributes positively to the health of our planet.
Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking
Statements
All Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resources
estimates reported by the Company were estimated in accordance with
the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute
of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards (May 10,
2014). These standards differ significantly from the requirements
of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mineral Resources
which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic
viability.
This document contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation
and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This
information and these statements, referred to herein as
"forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this
document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or
future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions,
expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to:
(i) the estimated amount of future
production;
(ii) the Company’s competitive position in
Brazil and demand for potash;
(iii) estimates of economic returns from
an operating mine;
(iv) the expected terms of the debt
restructuring;
(v) the expected financial impact of
the debt restructuring to the Company;
(vi) the timeline for court approval
of the debt restructuring; and
(vii) the potential arising from the
re-assaying of certain core samples.
Any statements that express or involve
discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs,
plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance
(often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects",
"anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages",
"assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or
variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or
results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur
or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar
expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be
forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements are based on
Verde's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various
assumptions made by them and information currently available to
them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but
generally these assumptions include, but are not limited to:
(i) the presence of and continuity of
resources and reserves at the Project at estimated grades;
(ii) the geotechnical and
metallurgical characteristics of rock conforming to sampled
results; including the quantities of water and the quality of the
water that must be diverted or treated during mining
operations;
(iii) the capacities and durability
of various machinery and equipment;
(iv) the availability of personnel,
machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within the
estimated delivery times;
(v) currency exchange rates;
(vi) Super Greensand® and K Forte®
sales prices, market size and exchange rate assumed;
(vii) appropriate discount rates
applied to the cash flows in the economic analysis;
(viii) tax rates and royalty rates
applicable to the proposed mining operation;
(ix) the availability of acceptable
financing under assumed structure and costs;
(x) anticipated mining losses and
dilution;
(xi) reasonable contingency
requirements;
(xii) success in realizing proposed
operations;
(xiii) receipt of permits and other
regulatory approvals on acceptable terms; and
(xiv) the fulfilment of environmental
assessment commitments and arrangements with local communities.
Although management considers these assumptions
to be reasonable based on information currently available to it,
they may prove to be incorrect. Many forward-looking statements are
made assuming the correctness of other forward looking statements,
such as statements of net present value and internal rates of
return, which are based on most of the other forward-looking
statements and assumptions herein. The cost information is also
prepared using current values, but the time for incurring the costs
will be in the future and it is assumed costs will remain stable
over the relevant period.
By their very nature, forward-looking statements
involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and
specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections
and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that
assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as
a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to
differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives,
expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions
expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors
may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and
estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but
specifically include, without limitation: risks related to the
court approval process for the debt restructuring; risks relating
to variations in the mineral content within the material identified
as Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves from that predicted;
variations in rates of recovery and extraction; the geotechnical
characteristics of the rock mined or through which infrastructure
is built differing from that predicted, the quantity of water that
will need to be diverted or treated during mining operations being
different from what is expected to be encountered during mining
operations or post closure, or the rate of flow of the water being
different; developments in world metals markets; risks relating to
fluctuations in the Brazilian Real relative to the Canadian dollar;
increases in the estimated capital and operating costs or
unanticipated costs; difficulties attracting the necessary work
force; increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms
of available financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being
greater than assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to
changes in logistical, technical or other factors; changes in
project parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating
to receipt of regulatory approvals; delays in stakeholder
negotiations; changes in regulations applying to the development,
operation, and closure of mining operations from what currently
exists; the effects of competition in the markets in which Verde
operates; operational and infrastructure risks and the additional
risks described in Verde's Annual Information Form filed with SEDAR
in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) for the year ended December
31, 2023. Verde cautions that the foregoing list of factors that
may affect future results is not exhaustive.
When relying on our forward-looking statements
to make decisions with respect to Verde, investors and others
should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other
uncertainties and potential events. Verde does not undertake to
update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that
may be made from time to time by Verde or on our behalf, except as
required by law.
For additional information please
contact:
Cristiano Veloso, Chief
Executive Officer and Founder
Tel: +55 (31) 3245 0205; Email:
investor@verde.ag
www.verde.ag | www.investor.verde.ag
____________________1 With the exception of a symbolic monthly
payment of R$100,000 starting after six months.
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