Acquisition

Anglo-Eastern Plantations PLC 18 March 2004 ANGLO-EASTERN PLANTATIONS MAKES US$10 MILLION ACQUISITION Anglo-Eastern Plantations Plc, which owns over 25,000 hectares of plantations, primarily in Indonesia, has acquired the entire issued share capital of P T Bina Pitri Jaya, an Indonesian company whose principal asset is Bina Pitri Estate, a planted oil palm estate of land title area of 4,329 hectares. Plantation land in Indonesia is held under leases of between 25 and 35 years which are renewable. The lease of Bina Pitri runs to 2033 when it should be renewable. The planted area is about 4,400 hectares of which about 200 hectares are planted in an extension area of 2,000 hectares over which the temporary land rights have expired. Steps will be taken to obtain title over about 500 hectares of this area. The transaction requires the approval of the Indonesian Investment Co-ordination Board which has indicated its approval in principle. The total consideration is US$10 million, including US$2.8 million of confirmed third party liabilities which require to be settled by the end of March 2004. Other than the estate, there are no significant assets in the company purchased. Financial data from the company is not comprehensive but sufficient for us to enter the contract; 5% of the consideration is deferred for three months against undisclosed liabilities. The consideration is payable in cash from Anglo-Eastern's own resources. A local minority shareholder, of up to 20%, may be introduced later. Bina Pitri is located in the province of Riau in central Sumatra, about 50km from the provincial capital, Pekanbaru, and about 180 km to the south east of Anglo-Eastern's Tasik plantation. Riau has a large and well-developed plantation industry. The estate has no oil mill, but fresh fruit bunches (FFB) will be sold to mills nearby. Terrain and rainfall are very suitable for oil palms. Planted on average about 8 years ago, the estate is in need of rehabilitation, the cost of which is expected to require a further US$1million. The initial annual crop of fresh fruit bunches is expected to be about 30,000mt (less than 10% of the existing group's), but this should build up strongly over the next few years. Profit contribution in the first year is unlikely to be material. Mr T H Chan, Chairman, commented 'The acquisition of Bina Pitri oil palm estate is the first step in Anglo-Eastern's strategy to grow in part through the acquisition of medium-sized planted estates, as well as through development of our existing land reserves, by taking advantage of the strength of the group's balance sheet. Total planted area of the group following this acquisition will be 30,000ha.' Enquiries: Anglo-Eastern Plantations Plc 020-7236 2838 Rollo Barnes (Financial Director) Bankside Consultants Limited Charles Ponsonby 020-7444 4166 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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