Agco CEO 'very interested' in North American M&A

* Says "very interested" in major North American deal

* Sees bottom in Brazil's farm market

* Predicts another pretty good year for farmers in 2009

* Sees hope for 2010 farm income, equipment sales

By James B. Kelleher CHICAGO, June 23 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Agco Corp (AGCO.N), the world's third-largest maker of farm equipment, said on Tuesday that he was "very interested" in the possibility of doing a major M&A deal in North America if it would expand the company's "modest" market share in the region.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Martin Richenhagen, Agco's chairman, chief executive and president, also held out hope that this year would be a good one for North American farm incomes and North American tractor sales, despite early evidence that recession-spooked farmers were holding off new purchases.

"Overall we will face a little more difficult year," Richenhagen said. "But it will still be a very good year compared to history of this industry and this company."

Asked if Agco could do what it wanted with existing assets in its corporate portfolio, Richenhagen said, "Our strategy is based on internal growth."

But he also admitted, "We are in a rather modest position in North America. If we could do a major deal in North America, we would be very interested in doing something like that."

(Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

((james.kelleher@thomsonreuters.com ; +1 312 408 8130; Reuters Messaging: james.kelleher.reuters.com@reuters.net )) Keywords: AGCO/CEO

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