euro adhoc: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG / quarterly or semiannual financial statement / AGRANA - Revenue up 3% - operating profit of EUR 87.4 million in the first three quarters of 2007|08 Third-quarter

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9-month report/AGRANA

15.01.2008

In the first three quarters of 2007|08 AGRANA, the sugar, starch
and fruit group, raised its revenue by about 3% to EUR 1,418.7
million (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 1,380.4 million). While the Starch and
Fruit segments generated significant revenue growth of 25% and 10%
respectively, Sugar revenue declined by 9% amid the difficult
conditions in the European sugar market. Operating profit before
exceptional items for the first nine months was EUR 87.4 million,
down 2.6% from EUR 89.7 million in the first three quarters
2006|07. In the third quarter, operating profit after exceptional
items (restructuring), at EUR 30.6 million, was held steady
compared to the prior-year level of EUR 30.5 million.

"The reform-driven decrease in sugar revenue was successfully
offset in the first nine months by AGRANA's other two revenue
streams," says AGRANA Chief Executive Officer Johann Marihart in
commenting on the business performance. "However, the 2007
calendar year brought price increases in raw material markets
on a scale that poses a considerable challenge to all segments of
our business. In this environment, the steady third-quarter operating
profit after exceptional items is in our view quite a satisfactory
result," adds Marihart.

Third quarter of 2007|08
AGRANA IFRS results (quarter ended November 30, 2007)

Third quarter Third quarter
2007|08 2006|07
Revenue EURm 485.3 457.3
Operating profit EURm 33.0 30.5
Bioethanol exceptional EURm (2.4) -
items
Operating profit after EURm 30.6 30.5
exceptional items
Profit before tax EURm 17.7 28.9
Profit for the period EURm 13.1 22.7
Earnings per share EUR 0.94 1.53

The third quarter was positive across the board with revenue growth
of 6% to EUR 485.3 million (Q3 2006|07: EUR 457.3 million).
Operating profit after exceptional items (restructuring) was EUR 30.6
million, holding the prior-year level of EUR 30.5 million.
However, owing to weaker Eastern European currencies, the Group's
profit of the third quarter decreased to EUR 13.1 million (Q3
2006|07: EUR 22.7 million).

First nine months of 2007|08 Group revenue in the first three
quarters of 2007|08 was EUR 1,418.7 million (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR
1,380.4 million). Net financial items were EUR -15.7 million (Q1-Q3
2006|07: EUR -11.9 million) as a result of increased financing
costs for the extensive capital investment and the higher
interest rates. The resulting profit before tax in the first
three quarters was E 67.7 million (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 77.8
million). After taxation at an effective rate of 26.6% (Q1-Q3
2006|07: 28.0%), profit for the period was EUR 49.7 million (Q1-Q3
2006|07: EUR 56.0 million).

AGRANA recorded capital expenditure of EUR 157.2 million during the
first nine months of 2007|08 (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 86.2 million). The
main areas of investment were the starch and bioethanol activities.
Capital expenditure in the Sugar segment related primarily to the
new raw sugar refinery in Brcko, Serbia.

AGRANA IFRS results (three quarters ended November 30, 2007)

First three quarters First three quarters
of 2007|08 of 2006|07
Revenue EURm 1,418.7 1,380.4
Operating profit EURm 87.4 89.7
Bioethanol exceptional EURm (4.0) -
items
Operating profit after EURm 83.4 89.7
exceptional items
Profit before tax EURm 67.7 77.8
Profit for the period EURm 49.7 56.0
Earnings per share EUR 3.49 3.76
Investment: purchases 157.2 86.2
of property, plant and EURm
equipment and
intangible assets[1]
Staff count 8,595 8,383

Revenue by segment
in EURm First three quarters First three quarters
of 2007|08 of 2006|07
Sugar segment 595.3 652.8
Starch segment 231.9 186.1
Fruit segment 644.5 583.6
Inter-segment
eliminations (53.1) (42.0)
AGRANA Group revenue 1,418.7 1,380.4

Sugar segment
The absence of C-sugar exports and the lower quota sugar sales due to the
preventive quota withdrawal were responsible for the revenue decrease of 9% in

the Sugar segment during the first three quarters to EUR 595.3
million (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 652.8 million). As a result of the lower
sales quantities and the payments into the EU restructuring fund,
the segment reported an operating profit of EUR 28.9 million
(Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 38.2 million)

Starch segment Revenue in the Starch segment was EUR 231.9 million in
the first three quarters, 25% higher than the prior-year
comparative level of EUR 186.1 million. This growth was driven
by an increase in sales of saccharification products and
bioethanol as well as higher market prices. Segment operating profit
was EUR 27.9 million compared to EUR 22.4 million in the first three
quarters of 2006|07. The profit expansion resulted from the volume
growth and a higher component of value added.

Net exceptional items in the starch segment - an expense of EUR
4.0 million - represented the non-capitalisable costs of the
construction of the bioethanol plant in Pischelsdorf, Austria.

Fruit segment Revenue of EUR 644.5 million was posted in the Fruit
segment in the first three quarters (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR 583.6
million). Operating profit was EUR 30.6 million (Q1-Q3 2006|07: EUR
29.1 million). Weather-induced crop failures in Europe led to a
pronounced undersupply of raw materials and to volatility in the
market. However, thanks to expanded global procurement, AGRANA was
able to cover its raw material requirements. The price increases
required to absorb the sharp rise in raw material costs are being
gradually implemented.

Outlook Raw-material-driven price increases for products in the
Starch and Fruit segment will contrast with revenue reductions
in Sugar. The restructuring measures made necessary by the new EU
sugar regime continue in the fourth quarter. Group revenue for
the financial year 2007|08 is therefore expected to be just under
EUR 1,900 million (2006|07: EUR 1,915.8 million based on 14 months
of Fruit results).

For the 2007|08 financial year AGRANA plans to approach last year's
operating profit before exceptional items. Expenses for the
bioethanol operations and closure costs for the Hungarian sugar
factory in Petöhaza and the Czech fruit processing facility in
Kaplice will, however, cause operating profit after exceptional
items (restructuring) to ease slightly from the prior year.

This press release and the report on the first three quarters of
2007|08 are available in German and English on the Internet at
www.agrana.com.

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1 Excluding any goodwill

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG

Mag. Maria Fally

Investor Relations

Tel.: +43-1-211 37-12905

e-mail:maria.fally@agrana.com

Mag. Ulrike Pichler

Public Relations

Tel.: +43-1-211 37-12084

e-mail:ulrike.pichler@agrana.com

Branche: Food
ISIN: AT0000603709
WKN: 779535
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
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