Cargill Earnings Jump 49%

NEW YORK - Apr 16/07 - SNS -- Cargill reported net earnings of $553 million in the 2007 third quarter ended February 28, compared to $370 million during the same three-month period last year.

This lifted earnings for the first nine months of the current fiscal year to $1.71 billion, up from $1.37 billion last year.

Earnings in Cargill's risk management and financial, food ingredients and applications, and industrial segments increased from the third quarter a year ago. Although the origination and processing segment lagged the prior year's third quarter, it was ahead of last year for the full nine months. Results in agriculture services were below the prior year's level.

Cargill continued to invest in its core businesses, especially in emerging markets. The company completed the acquisition of LNB International Feed, a manufacturer and exporter of animal nutrition products. Based in Nistelrode, Holland, the company has operations in Poland, Romania and Suriname, toll manufacturing in Belgium and the Netherlands, and sales offices in the Netherlands and Russia. LNB specializes in mineral- and vitamin-based premix products.