* Uralkali says merger with Silvinit to proceed on schedule
* Uralkali shares up 1.3 percent, Silvinit up 2.0 percent
(adds details)
MOSCOW, April 13 (Reuters) - Russian potash producer Uralkali said on Wednesday a court has lifted an injunction on its merger with Silvinit, allowing the blockbuster deal to proceed on schedule.
The court in Perm put the injunction in place in February after Russian fertiliser producer and Silvinit shareholder Acron filed a claim over the merger terms. [ID:nLDE71R279]
"Lifting the injunction as well as the recent approval by the Russian Antimonopoly Service of the proposed combination of Uralkali and Silvinit will allow us to complete the merger, pursuant to the previously announced timetable," Chief Executive Vladislav Baumgertner said in a statement.
At 1332 GMT, Uralkali shares were up 1.3 percent at 237.86 roubles in Moscow, while Silvinit's shares were up 2.0 percent, or 592 roubles, at 30,692 roubles.
The MICEX index was up 0.4 percent at 1806.5.
Uralkali and Silvinit, both majority owned by billionaire tycoon Suleiman Kerimov and associates, announced a $23.9 billion merger earlier this year in order to create the world's second largest potash producer.
Legal wrangling threatened to hold up the deal, which is expected to be completed in May. [ID:nLDE71R279]
The combined group will become the world's second largest
potash producer behind Canada's Potash Corp
It expects to produce 10.6 million tonnes of potash this year, up from 10.3 million tonnes in 2010.
Uralkali also said on Wednesday that first quarter potash output reached 1.27 million tonnes, up 2 percent year-on-year, while Silvinit's output was 1.34 million tonnes, up 16 percent from the year-earlier period. [ID:nWLA8026]
(Reporting by Alfred Kueppers)