TOKYO, Dec 26: Japanese trading house Marubeni announced a tie-up with Indian conglomerate ITC on food businesses, including exports of Indian beans.

Under the accord, the two companies will consider jointly exporting Indian-made soybean cake and maize grains for livestock feed, Marubeni said in a statement.

They will also consider jointly building silos and other grain-related facilities and launching a soybean protein business, it said.

ITC, India's third-largest company in terms of pre-tax profit, is the industry leader in tobacco and has interests in areas ranging from hotels to agriculture.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used a visit this month to Japan to seek more investment from Asia's largest economy, which has warming political ties with New Delhi but conducts far more business with China. —AFP