Reuters was first to report that U.S. grains merchant Bunge Ltd was in advanced talks on a deal to merge with Glencore Plc-backed peer Viterra and create an agricultural trading giant worth more than $30 billion, including debt. The high-profile merger was announced earlier today, confirming the Reuters scoop. The deal brings the combined company closer in global scale to leading rivals Archer-Daniels-Midland and Cargill, valuing Bunge and Viterra at about $17 billion each. Bunge shareholders, however, will own about 70% of the company, because Bunge will pay for a significant chunk of the deal with cash.