AWB Makes Pool Distribution

SYDNEY - Jan 9/06 - SNS -- Australia's wheat marketing board, AWB Limited, is making its fourth distribution to growers who participated in the 2004-05 AWB National Pool.

The A$450 million distribution takes the total paid to-date from this Pool to more than $2.3 billion. The Distribution also sees the finalization of the Durum pools.

Acting General Manager AWB International, David Johnson said, "For the benchmark APW grade, with a current estimated pool return of $197 per (metric) ton (MT) (FOB, GST exclusive), the base rate for this fourth Distribution is $42.67 MT. The cumulative percentage paid to-date for the APW pay grade is now 92.6%.

"For Australian Premium Durum, 100% of sales have now been executed resulting in a base rate fourth and final Distribution for this pay grade of $28.35 MT from a final pool estimate of $238.60 MT.

"For other pay-grades, the high cumulative percentage payments made to-date, only a year out from the 2004-05 harvest, highlight the focus of AWB’s Pool Management Team on sales, shipping and contract execution performance in a challenging global marketing environment," Johnson said.