Last checked at 17 Aug 2012 08:00
17 August 2012
Anglo-Eastern Plantations PLC
("AEP" or "Company")
New loan facility for development of Kalimantan plantation
AEP, which owns approximately 130,000 hectares of plantation land, primarily in Indonesia, and operates approximately 58,200 hectares of developed plantations, has today announced that its subsidiary PT Sawit Graha Manunggal ("SGM") has entered into a loan agreement with PT Bank DBS Indonesia ("DBSI") under the terms of which DBSI will extend a loan of US35.0m to SGM. AEP controls approximately 81.2% of the shares in SGM and has agreed to guarantee the liabilities and obligations of SGM to DBSI pursuant to the loan agreement.
SGM will apply the loan for the purpose of funding plantation and development of approximately 11,500 hectares of palm oil (of which 8,428 hectares have already been planted), working capital and funding the construction of a CPO mill and other fixed assets in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Initial development of the Kalimantan plantation started in 2008 and harvesting has started for 300 hectares of palm oil in 2012. The Board estimates that the current asset value of the SGM plantation to be not less than US$35.0m. As at the date hereof, there are no profits attributable to the Kalimantan project.
The loan will be made to SGM for a period of seven years with an option to extend for a further 12 months. Interest will be charged at SIBOR plus 4.5% plus DBSI's liquidity premium on terms usual for such a transaction.
The consolidated net asset value per share of AEP will be unchanged following the Loan and the guarantee.
The guarantee given by AEP constitutes a Class 2 Transaction for the purposes of the UKLA Listing Rules and as such shareholder approval is not required.
Commenting on the new loan facility and the guarantee, Director Dato' John Lim Ewe Chuan stated, "The latest development of Kalimantan plantation is an important step for the business. This will enable us to accelerate development of the project while also allowing AEP to consider other opportunities in the region."
For further information, contact:
Anglo-Eastern Plantations plc | +44 (0)20 7216 4621 |
Dato' John Lim Ewe Chuan | |
Charles Stanley Securities | +44 (0) 20 7149 6000 |
Russell Cook / Karri Vuori |