ADM and Cabrera to Form Joint Venture to Process Sugarcane

ADM has announced record quarterly net earnings of $ 1.05 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, up 138 % from the period a year ago. Net sales increased 65 % to $ 21.16 billion.

07/11/08 Archer Daniels Midland Company and Grupo Cabrera have announced an agreement to form a joint venture to produce ethanol from sugarcane. The partnership will bring together ADM’s expertise in ethanol production, logistics and marketing with Cabrera’s extensive knowledge of sugarcane agriculture and production.

“As the world’s need for food and energy grows, agriculture—and ADM—will provide renewable, responsible solutions,” said John Rice, ADM executive vice president, Commercial and Production. “This joint venture will leverage the expertise of both participants to meet growing Brazilian demand for ethanol. Importantly, this partnership also advances ADM’s goals of diversifying our feedstocks and growing our global bioenergy business.”

“Brazil has the ingredients required for sustainable agriculture: abundant arable land, ideal climate, and advanced agricultural technology,” said owner of Grupo Cabrera and former minister of agriculture Antonio Cabrera. “Our partnership with ADM reinforces our commitment to the responsible production of renewable energy.”

The joint venture will construct two processing complexes, each consisting of a sugarcane plantation, a sugar mill, an ethanol distillery and a biomass-powered cogeneration facility to provide power and steam. The complexes will be located in Limeira Do Oeste in the state of Minas Gerais, and Jatai in Goias. Upon completion, each mill will have crush capacity of three million metric tons annually.

Meanwhile ADM has announced record quarterly net earnings of $ 1.05 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, up 138 % from the period a year ago. Net sales increased 65 % to $ 21.16 billion. However Corn Processing operating profit decreased $ 135 million to $ 118 million from $ 253 million last year. Sweeteners and Starches operating profit decreased $ 102 million to $ 65 million due principally to sharply higher net corn and energy costs, partially offset by increased sales volumes and higher average selling prices. Bioproducts operating profit decreased $ 33 million to $ 53 million due principally to higher net corn and energy costs partially offset by higher average selling prices and increased sales volumes for ethanol and lysine. Net corn costs were negatively impacted this quarter by mark-to-market losses on corn futures and options used to economically hedge sales obligations.