July 3 (Reuters) - Australian malt producer United Malt Group Ltd (UMG.AX) said on Monday it had agreed to a A$1.5 billion ($999 million) takeover offer from Malteries Soufflet, a branch of French agribusiness InVivo. The A$5 per share offer represents a 45.3% premium to United Malt's closing price of A$3.44 on March 24, before the offer was first disclosed. United Malt is the world's fourth-largest commercial maltster, producing bulk malt for brewers, craft brewers, distillers and food companies. The deal requires approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) as well as United Malt's shareholders to vote in support the transaction, among other regulatory requirements. United Malt's board has unanimously recommended that its shareholders vote in favor of the proposal.

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Persons: Malteries, Thierry Blandinieres, Graham Bradley, InVivo, Harish Sridharan, Lisa Shumaker, Nick Zieminski, Jamie Freed Organizations: United Malt Group, Reuters, distillers, Foreign Investment, Board, United, United Malt, Thomson Locations: Australia, Canada, United States, Britain, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Bengaluru