Delta posts EUR 193 million turnover for Q1 2014 - Company announces investment in agriculture, construction of business building and distribution center

Delta Holding generated a turnover of EUR 193 million in the period January-April 2014, while its operating profit in that period totaled EUR 16.1 million.

At a press conference, Delta Holding Vice President Dejan Jeremic stated that about EUR 36 million in taxes and contributions had been paid to the budget of Serbia.

The best results in the first quarter of this year were achieved by Delta Agrar that registered a growth of 72%. In Q1 2014, this company exported EUR 7.5 million worth of goods, mostly to Russia and the European Union.

Construction of a new cold storage plant, with a capacity of 6,000 tons, commenced this year on the Podunavlje estate in Celarevo, and the value of this investment is estimated at EUR 6 million. As Jeremic said, once this second phase is copleted, the total capacity of the cold storage plant will reach 12,000 t.

Delta Agrar has planted its first hectare of the club apple Pink Lady. This company has an exclusive right to grow this variety of club apple in Serbia as well as an exclusive right of its distribution in the territory of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Macedonia.

- We've planted the first hectare of the world's most famous apple brand. For the first time, Pink Lady apples will be grown in our country in a legal way. Cooperation with Pink Lady Europe makes it possible for us to enter top market chains across the world – Jeremic pointed out.

At the press conference, Delta President Miroslav Miskovic talked about the importance of investments in agriculture, stressing that he had also spoken about that at the meeting between businessmen and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

- Serbia should not grow mercantile wheat or corn on its fertile soil. The state is supposed to advise manufacturers to grow the crop plants that are in high demand in the world and to tell them where in our country is the most suitable land for such plants. Delta Agrar will provide all interested farmers with seedlings and technology of work. We will be purchasing the entire yield for the next 15 years from all individual apple manufacturers we sign a contract with - said Miskovic.

He also pointed out that Delta would provide the market and guarantee that farmers can generate an annual revenue of 12-15 thousand euro per hectare.

As the vice president of Delta noted, other sectors of the company also operated well - Yuhor, Danubius and Florida registered a growth of 19 percent in the first quarter of this year when compared to the same period in 2013.

(Miroslav Miskovic and Dejan Jeremic)

- When it comes to the export of meat, especially to the region of Russia, we will have something to boast about in the third quarter of this year. We are commissioning a production line for short pasta at Danubius - RAVA, in which EUR 1.6 million will be invested -said Dejan Jeremic.

Jeremic announced that the construction of distribution and logistics center in Stara Pazova would begin July 2014.

The officials of this Belgrade-based company also announced the construction of business building and retail park in Novi Sad and shopping mall in Belgrade.

Miskovic noted that Delta Holding was currently negotiating with two or three companies from the USA interested in making Delta an agent for their brands in Serbia, but he did not reveal their names.

This company plans to start the construction of the Center for Sports and Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities in Kragujevac in early July.

S.O.