DGAP-News: Ekosem-Agrar: Over 30,000 dairy cows by the year 2015
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: Ekosem-Agrar GmbH / Key word(s): Results
Forecast/Miscellaneous
Ekosem-Agrar: Over 30,000 dairy cows by the year 2015
25.10.2012 / 09:45
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- Russia's third largest milk producer takes two new dairy cattle
facilities into operation
- Dairy cow stock to be more than doubled by 2015
- Framework conditions remain attractive
Walldorf, 25 October 2012 - Ekosem-Agrar GmbH, the German holding company
of the Ekonovia Group, which specialises in milk production, plans to more
than double its dairy cow stock from 13,100 at the end of September 2012 to
over 30,000 by the year 2015. Ekosem is well on track to reach this target,
as two new dairy cow facilities have just been taken into operation in the
oblast of Voronezh, some 500 kilometres to the south-east of Moscow. 'In
spite of the excellent conditions for the agricultural sector in Russia,
some eight million tons of milk must be imported every year,' says Stefan
Dürr, Managing Director and majority shareholder of the Group. 'We invest
in state-of-the-art technology to help increase Russia's own supply of
high-quality milk.'
Each of the two new facilities offers room for 2,200 dairy cows. They meet
the latest standards in terms of animal welfare and feature modern milking
carousels, among other things. Construction of another four complexes has
already started. They will be fully operational by 2014, thus laying the
foundation for the expansion of the dairy cattle stock to over 30,000
animals.
36,500 cattle - including 13,850 milk cows - currently make the Group the
third largest dairy producer in Russia. In the first nine months of 2012,
some 227 tons of milk were milked on a daily average. This is equivalent to
the consumption of a quarter of a million German consumers. Compared to
2011, the average milk output per cow and day has been increased by approx.
13.5% to 20.76 litres. The company's stock is to increase to roughly 15,300
milk cows by the end of the year - which would represent a growth rate of
over 30% compared to 31 December 2011. In the summer, 4,900 young cows were
imported from the United States, which will gradually be integrated into
the dairy cattle stock by the end of 2013. 'Our cattle stock has reached a
size that will allow us to grow strongly without importing young cows going
forward,' says Wolfgang Bläsi, CFO and Managing Director of Ekosem-Agrar
GmbH. 'As the acquisition of breeding heifers is currently the largest cost
item in our growth strategy, this will significantly reduce our investment
requirements in the coming years.'
The framework conditions for Ekosem-Agrar remain attractive. On the one
hand, milk prices are rising across the globe, as the milk output in
important producer countries such as the USA and New Zealand is on the
decline. This is primarily attributable to the high prices of agricultural
commodities and animal fodder. Ekosem-Agrar produces its own fodder and has
built up reserves that will cover its own requirements until the end of
2013. Besides the global environment, the local conditions for milk
production are favourable as well. Milk prices in Russia are about 20%
higher than in Germany, which is due to the fact that local consumption
exceeds the output by far. This is why the dairy sector is at the heart of
Russia's 2013/2020 agricultural promotion programme, which was adopted in
early July. It has a total volume of 1.5 trillion roubles (37.5 billion
euros) and supports agricultural investments. Says Stefan Dürr: 'Milk
producers need not only money and expertise but also a lot of patience, as
it takes a few years for the investment to pay off. At this stage, there is
therefore nothing to suggest that the shortage of milk in Russia will be
eliminated in the medium term.'
About Ekosem-Agrar
Ekosem-Agrar GmbH Walldorf, Germany is the German holding company in the
Ekoniva Group, one of the largest Russian agricultural companies. With over
30,000 head of cattle and an average milk production of more than 227 tons
per day, the company is the third largest milk producer in the country. The
group has more than 173,000 hectares of land and is also one of the leading
producers of seed in Russia. A third area of business is currently being
established with premium beef. The founder and managing director of the
company is Stefan Duerr. He has been active in Russian agriculture since
the 1980s and has played a decisive role in its modernization over the past
two decades. In 2009, he was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit for
his contributions to the agricultural policy dialog between Germany and
Russia. The corporate group has about 2,800 employees at six locations in
Russia and achieved revenues from operations of EUR 81 million in fiscal
year 2010/2011. The Ekosem-Agrar bond (ISIN: DE000A1MLSJ1) is listed in the
Bondm of the Stuttgart Stock Exchange. For further information visit:
www.ekosem-agrar.de
Contact
Irina Schwachhofer
Ekosem-Agrar GmbH
Johann-Jakob-Astor-Str. 49
69190 Walldorf, Germany
T: +49 6227 8890 300
E-mail: irina.schwachhofer(at) ekosem-agrar.de
Presse / Investor Relations
Fabian Lorenz
IR.on AG
T: +49 (0) 221 9140 974
E: fabian.lorenz(at)ir-on.com
End of Corporate News
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Language: English
Company: Ekosem-Agrar GmbH
Johann-Jakob-Astor-Str. 49
69190 Walldorf
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)6227 358 59 33
Fax: +49 (0)6227 358 59 18
E-mail: info(at)ekosem-agrar.de
Internet: www.ekosem-agrar.de
ISIN: DE000A1MLSJ1
WKN: A1MLSJ
End of News DGAP News-Service
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Datum: 25.10.2012 - 09:45 Uhr
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