Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) -- H.J. Heinz Co., the world's largest ketchup maker, called on Venezuelan authorities to give back a plant seized yesterday by a state governor.

Heinz bought the ketchup plant in eastern Monagas state in 1996 and shut down operations for the last few years because of a dispute with local tomato suppliers, the company's Venezuelan unit, Alimentos Heinz, said in a statement. Pittsburg-based Heinz was trying to sell the plant when Monagas Governor Jose Briceno seized it, the company said.

``We're concerned at the actions of the authorities to seize the property,'' the company said. ``We hope this situation will be cleared up shortly and the property will be returned.''

President Hugo Chavez signed executive orders in January that established the legal framework for the government to seize private properties it considers unused, and to distribute them to poor farmers and workers.

Briceno seized the plant in order to reopen it, the government's Bolivarian News Agency said on its Web site. Briceno did not immediately return a message left at his office.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Kennedy in Caracas at Akennedy1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 6, 2005 23:20 EDT