The Wall Street Journal is reporting that investment firm D.E.Shaw & Co. has boosted its stake in Bunge Ltd. and is pushing the grain trader to make operational improvements and add board members.

D.E. Shaw has been making the push along with Continental Grain Co., the two firms together owning less than five per cent of the company.

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that Continental Grain was considering pushing Bunge to consider strategic options, as the company was in talks to sell itself to ADM, which later fell apart. Last year, Swiss commodity trader Glencore made a takeover approach to Bunge, however the deal never materialized.

Bunge, which is one of the world's largest dealers of soybeans, corn and wheat, has a market value of about $10 billion. The company is based in White Plains, N.Y.