Camellia PLC
07 June 2005
Camellia Plc
Chairman's statement at AGM
I would now like to take this opportunity to bring shareholders up to date with
developments in the current year.
Although it is still very early in the season tea production in both India and
Bangladesh are ahead of last year's levels. Prices in India are slightly behind
last year but in Bangladesh somewhat ahead. Pressure on cost of production is an
ongoing concern but we are maintaining our policy of producing the highest
possible quality of leaf.
Tea production in Kenya is ahead of budget however prices are disappointing. The
Kenya shilling has strengthened against the dollar and consequently margins are
currently substantially reduced. In Malawi production is reasonable although
prices have also declined over the last few months.
The sale of our interest in East African Coffee Plantations in Australia has
been completed and the funds have been received. These funds have been utilised
to reduce borrowings.
Our macadamia operations in South Africa and Malawi are progressing well and we
have plans to expand our edible nut interests.
The 2005 table grape harvest in South Africa was greatly reduced on account of
adverse climatic conditions and results continue to be affected by the strong
rand. In view of the prospects for this sector, we have recently exchanged
contracts for the sale of one of our table grape properties for Rand 14 million.
Brazil has experienced some inclement weather conditions and prices in dollar
terms for its maize and soya production are reduced. The Brazilian currency has
also strengthened against the dollar.
In the UK most of our engineering operations are experiencing increased demand
but Associated Cold Stores & Transport is still suffering from over capacity in
the cold storage market.
The investment management business of Douglas Deakin Young, which was acquired
by Duncan Lawrie earlier in the year has now been consolidated into the Hobart
Place premises of the bank. The prospects for this acquisition are encouraging.
Siegfried have recently announced the acquisition of the Penick Corporation,
located in New Jersey, which will strengthen its position in the US market for
controlled substances. Penick owns unique technologies and processes for the
management of active pharmaceutical ingredients for pain management.
As usual it is impossible at this stage to anticipate with any certainty the
likely results for the first half of this year.
For further enquiries please contact Camellia Plc
Malcolm Perkins
Tel: 01622 746655
MCP/vjj/misc/1077(07.06.05)
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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