Continued strong potential for Danisco’s sugar production in 2007

The results of this year’s second field samples support the positive harvest forecasts.

Following a good start to the growing season with extremely favourable weather conditions in the spring, a warm and rainy period has ensured continued strong beet growth in the countries in with Danisco has sugar production. Consequently, Danisco continues to expect sugar production to significantly exceed the Group’s total EU quota of 929,000 tonnes.

In a comment to the harvest forecast, Executive Vice President Thomas B. Olsen, Agriculture, says:
’We are seeing record-high sugar yields in most countries, which is very positive since it reconfirms, once again, the solid potential for beet sugar production in our region. We are not least pleased with the increasingly competitive yields in Lithuania. The favourable results not only reflect the weather conditions but also significant structural developments in the agricultural sector to the effect that beet growing is now concentrated on the most efficient growers.

Danisco will be kicking off the 2007 campaign during the next few weeks and will be gaining the first experience from the sugar division’s new factory structure with production concentrated on fewer units.

The results of the second field samples collected on 3 September 2007 were as follows:

Tonnes beet per ha % sugar in beet Tonnes sugar per ha

Denmark 68.9 (61.0) 15.7 (15.8) 10.8 (9.7)

Sweden 64.0 (53.1) 16.1 (16.2) 10.3 (8.6)

Germany 74.5 (61.8) 15.7 (16.0) 11.7 (9.9)

Finland 49.5 (38.1) 15.3 (14.7) 7.6 (5.7)

Lithuania 70.5 (45.6) 14.4 (15.1) 10.2 (6.8)

The average results of the past five years are shown in brackets.

The beet sample results do not change the previously announced expectations for the Sugar division's earnings for the current financial year.

For further information, please contact:

Thomas B. Olsen, Executive Vice President, Agriculture,
Danisco Sugar, tel.: +45 32 66 25 85

Dorthe Lindgreen, Communications Manager,
Danisco Sugar A/S, tel.: +45 32 66 25 88 / 40 11 66 95

Read the full release and appendix in English in PDF format

Read the full release and appendix in Danish in PDF format