SHARP increases in grain prices in the second half of the year boosted earnings per share by 3% to 37.26 cent at Origin Enterprises as demand for inputs from farmers rose. Group turnover fell 11.3% from €1.5bn to €1.3bn.

ANIMAL feed and food group Origin Enterprises in its nine-month trading update says earnings and sales had declined. While sales topped €1 billion they were off 11.5% on the same period last year.

Cuisine de France owner Aryzta AG today reported pre tax profits of €218m at its food division for the year ended July, 2008.

FOOD and agri-business group Origin Enterprises, owners of the Shamrock Foods and Roma brands, has announced a sharp rise in turnover and profits for the financial year.

AN IRISH-based public company is to become the leading provider of input products and farm consultancy services to arable and grassland farmers in Britain and Poland.

ONLY time will tell how shrewd a move the €80 million purchase of Masstock was by Origin Enterprises in mid-January.

ORIGIN Enterprises, in which IAWS holds a 71.4% stake, has bought Masstock Group for a total of £61 million (€81.78m) which includes £30m (€40m) of debt.

THE prospect of a share in the vast project to rebuild Iraq has heightened the anticipation of many companies. Some estimates put the cost of reconstruction as high as $100 billion.