Senwes Integrated Reports Senwes 2016/2017 Integrated Report | Page 9

OVERVIEW QUARTER 3 QUARTER 4 Grasland’s plant at Britten agricultural lime mine was upgraded to enable them to produce and deliver an additional product, pro­ cessed gypsum, which re­presents 2% of the current year’s turnover. Development of new grain procurement process and application. The objective of the project is to train, develop and empower pro­ curers and it is expected that it will result in a 10% increase in the market share of Grain Procurement. Employee benefits were moved to Old Mutual and Nedbank, which contributed to a R20 million benefit for the Senwes group in terms of employee cost savings. The implementation of integration and innovation actions in the group in order to promote market share, is already rendering positive results. Senwes and Senwesbel listed its shares on the ZAR X platform.      Tradevantage, the soft commodity trading house, obtained a level 5-status on its B-BBEE-scorecard. Nation in Conversation introduced a new format for a 13-episode television series and reached a total of 24 million duplicated viewers      across kykNET, Business Day TV and Soweto TV. Record attendance of approximately 300 producers at the Senwes Young Farmer Congress, with the theme Family Farming. Despite a shortage of grain and negative carrying costs in the mar­ ket, Tradevantage managed to meet its contractual obligations. Tradevantage was significantly exposed to price-based risk on the pricing portfolio and the strategy of agency grain. Risk mitigating measures were implemented and focused attention was afforded to these measures. Control measures were implemented to mitigate current as well as future risks. Senwes’ proactive drought-mitigating actions in order to get risk and return on an acceptable level, contributed to an increase in profit before tax of R142 million. Residual risk decreased by 27,7% for the financial year and is now within acceptable levels. Senwes launched its farm-loading project in order to receive grain more economically from non-traditional areas. On average approxi­ mately 12% of the expected grain receipts for the 2016/17 harvest are received on this basis. A record attendance of 1 100 farmers were recorded at the Senwes      Equipment Expo. Improved control measures implemented and an efficiency investiga­ tion launched, with the possibility of increasing productivity by 10%. Announcement of share repurchase scheme to the value of R45 mil­ lion, which will commence on 30 June 2017. Loan facilities of R4,5 billion successfully negotiated without any re­ pricing. Interim dividend of 20 cents per share was paid, while a final divi­ dend of 25 cents per share was proposed. Implementation of King IV. New human resources strategy was implemented. The first solar power energy system was installed at Hennenman silo and expected energy savings amount to 450 000 kWh per annum.    http://senwes.co/zarx    http://senwes.co/NiCTV2017    http://senwes.co/EquipExpo17 7