Latest news with #utilisation
Agriland
4 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Why this farmer believes the best cattle in Ireland are in the west
Based just outside Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, Tim Meagher sources only the finest 'U' grade continental, suckler-bred cattle for his store-to-beef finishing system. The farmer recently hosted a Irish Grassland Association (IGA) beef event and the consistent quality of the cattle on the farm was plain to be seen on the day. Speaking at the event, the farmer explained why he goes to the west to source the best cattle to suit his beef-production system. Meagher said: 'I was up in Roscommon Mart last year and I said to Marty the auctioneer that he was very hard on me and the cattle I had bought were a shocking price, and he said back to me: 'Ahh, but look at the potential you're buying''. 'And he was right. It's potential I go up to buy. 'I'm not going to drive 80 miles to go up and buy middling sort of cattle. You have to get the best to drive that far and that's what they have up there.' Meagher acknowledged that sourcing the type of cattle needed for his system is becoming more challenging with the decline in suckler cow numbers. He said: 'There is still a small group of people that produce those stock. The suckler is under pressure.' A sample of the type of cattle on the Tim Meagher's Co. Tipperary farm The farmer believes that the decline in suckler cow numbers is largely due to an ageing farming population and agricultural policy. Commenting on why suckler cow numbers are in decline, he said: 'It's largely, I think, from politicians and old age. 'There's a lot of people have retired out of it and the younger crew want an easier way of life, so it is changing. 'Having said that, a lot of the lads I'm competing with are also gone out of the market and we're dealing with a lot of big feedlots and things like that you're bidding against. 'It has changed and it's going to stay changing,' he acknowledged. Meagher has an old-school mantra when it comes to buying cattle. Explaining his system, he said: 'I spend 6-7 weeks buying cattle from last week of September to the second week of November with October being the peak and whatever I see in front of me, I try and buy it. 'If there's good conformation and I think there's potential there, I'll try and buy it.' The farm finishes approximately 250 cattle/year, with two-thirds of these being steers (bullocks) and one-third being heifers. Steer carcass weights can range from 500-520kg and 'the heifers are a little bit lighter', he said at the IGA event. The average grade for both heifers and steers is 'U=3='. With a major focus on grass growth and utilisation but also some concentrates used to finish cattle, the farm is delivering an impressive gross margin at €1,650/ha. The farm is producing 11t DM/ha of grass and 89% of the cattle's diet is composed of grass. The stocking rate on the farm is 2.27livestock unit (LU)/ha but Tim said: 'The stocking rate one, I don't really go by. 'I like doing somewhere between 1-1.1t of beef/ac. That's the old figure I'd rather go by. 'Every animal consumes roughly 2% of their bodyweight and if you can run it off that, that's more of a figure I like to go to.' Tim said that this year, finishing cattle are eating a reduced level of concentrates at grass, which he attributes to higher feed quality in the grass this year. He noted that last year, finishing cattle were eating higher quantities of meal at grass. Meagher said: 'There was less feeding in the grass last year'. Commenting on his finishing ration at grass, the beef farmer said: 'Everyone will tell you how to put a good ration together for the winter but no one will tell you for the summer. 'It's trial and error with me. We have come up with a ration of 75% barley and 25% soya hulls for the cattle at grass.' He noted that minerals and other balancers are included in this mix also. Advantage feeders are placed in the paddocks with finishing cattle to provide concentrates Tim evidently has a passion for good grass management as well as the type of beef cattle he produces. He said: 'I might have a passion for good cattle but I have a passion for clover as well.' Clover seed is spread on paddocks which require it, along with applications of 0:7:30. Paddocks are grazed off in 2-3 days and allowed to recover for 24 days on average.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Issuance of preferential certificates under FTAs rises, signals higher trade pact use by exporters
The number of preferential certificates of origin issued under free trade agreements implemented so far has recorded a healthy increase, rising to 7,20,996 in 2024-25 from 6,84,724 in 2023-24, indicating greater utilisation of trade pacts by Indian exporters, according to government data. ADVERTISEMENT Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said India's trade under the preferential route is growing. In a free trade agreement, two countries either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them. India has so far implemented over a dozen such agreements with countries including Japan, Singapore, Korea, UAE and Australia. A certificate of origin is a key document required for exports to those countries with which India has trade agreements. An exporter has to submit the certificate at the landing port of the importing country. The document is important to claim duty concessions under free trade agreements. This certificate is essential to prove where the goods come from. ADVERTISEMENT "If somebody is taking these certificates, it means that they are utilising the preferential duty which is available under the FTA," Barthwal said. Availing duty concessions under these agreements improves the competitiveness of Indian exporters. As per the data, during April-May this fiscal, 1,32,116 certificates have been issued against 1,20,598 certificates in the same period previous fiscal. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Citizens' report card examines performance of Bengaluru MPs and MLAs
P.C. Mohan, Member of Parliament (MP) representing Bengaluru Central, has the highest attendance of 98.51% when it comes to parliamentary sessions among the three MPs of the city, while Bengaluru South MP Tejaswi Surya's attendance is just 77.61%, falling below the national average of 87%, according to Citizens' Report Cards of Bengaluru's Elected Representatives in the current term released by CIVIC Bangalore (a voluntary citizen's initiative) on Saturday. The report card captured key performance metrics for individual elected representatives, which include attendance, number of questions raised, number of committees participated in, number of Bills introduced (Private/Government), and number of debates participated in(only for MPs). It also analysed LAD Fund utilisation numbers for MPs and MLAs and the total criminal cases declared in the last election and net worth growth for repeat MLAs and MPs during their last term. Despite his low attendance, Mr. Surya asked 84 questions in the Parliament and took part in 13 debates, while Mr. Mohan participated only in one debate, where he put a request for e-buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme for Bengaluru. C.N. Manjunath, Bengaluru Rural MP, had an attendance of 94%, asked six questions, and took part in nine debates. Mr. Manjunath also led in terms of Local Area Development Fund (LAD) allocation (₹6.3 crore), including the previous and current year's available funds. Mr. Mohan has utilised only ₹47 lakh out of ₹5 crore made available in the current term, as per the data. Shobha Karandlaje, Bengaluru North MP, has utilised 97.6% of LAD funds. Among the MLAs, N. Shreenivasaiah of Nelamangala constituency attended 100% Assembly sessions, with only 29% MLAs having greater than 90% attendance, while 3 MLAs had less than 70% attendance. With only 53.62%, Priya Krishna, MLA for Govindraj Nagar, held the last spot. The report also noted that the Legislative Assembly had only 69 sittings in 2 years. N.A. Haris, MLA for Shanthinagar, asked 230 unstarred questions (the highest among MLAs), while S. Muniraju from Dasarahalli asked the highest number of starred questions (7). The report further mentioned that only four MLAs have fully utilised the ₹4 crore made available under the Karnataka Legislature Local Area Development (KLLAD) Fund, while almost 1/4th (22%) have allocated more than 90%. 'Overall, ₹40.79 crore of KLLAD Funds currently lie unspent, while potentially ₹4.84 crore may be stuck/forefeited. S. Manjula of Mahadevpura has not allocated any of her ₹4 crore KLLAD funds,' the report said. The report card was developed by citizen volunteers and student interns at CIVIC Bangalore over a period of six months, using publicly available data sources such as the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly websites, LAD scheme dashboards, Right to Information filings and websites of non-governmental organizations such as PRS India and which track legislators nationally. Speaking at the release of the report, Prakash Belwadi, actor and civic activist, accused MLAs and MPs of prioritising business growth over welfare, adding that citizen pressure is the only check on their apathy.
The Star
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Southern Cable robust earnings momentum intact
PETALING JAYA: Southern Cable Group Bhd is expected to maintain its strong earnings momentum into the remainder of the financial year ending Dec 31, 2025 (FY25), backed by robust demand, high production utilisation and a healthy order book. For the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (1Q25), the group had posted a net profit of RM27.4mil and a revenue of RM390.81mil. This was up from RM14.07mil and RM312.03mil, respectively, in the same quarter of the previous year. Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research said the group kicked off FY25 on a strong note, citing its 1Q25 core profit after tax of RM29.1mil which had surpassed its expectations and accounting for 29% of its initial full-year forecasts. The earnings outperformance was mainly driven by the faster-than-expected commissioning of an additional 3,000km per year cable manufacturing capacity. HLIB Research noted that Southern Cable continues to guide for strong cable demand from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), data centres and solar, while also indicating no disruption to the delivery schedule for its US clients despite the announcement of reciprocal tariffs. 'Demand for cables remains robust, with the expanded 3,000km per year capacity now largely taken up, as reflected by the strong 90% utilisation rate in 1Q25. 'Supported by a robust RM1.32bil order book and over RM1bil in tenders, management expects this buoyant utilisation to persist,' said the research house. Notably, the group is transitioning to a new long-term contract with TNB in the next quarter, which is expected to yield slightly better margins due to improved pricing terms. In the export segment, it was noted that early discussions suggest that US customers are prepared to absorb the tariff with no impact towards the group's margins. HLIB Research projects US sales to remain steady at RM30mil per quarter throughout FY25, meeting the full-year target of at least RM100mil. Meanwhile, the launch of the stock's new USE-2/RHW-2 low-voltage aluminium power cable has been delayed to 4Q25 due to certification delays. 'We believe the launch of this product will serve as a key catalyst, potentially enabling Southern Cable's US sales to exceed the RM30mil quarterly run-rate,' it added. On the expansion front, the remaining 2,000km per year capacity is expected to come online by end-FY25. The group's new polyvinyl chloride plant is also slated for commissioning in the second half of the year, while construction is ongoing at its Lot 21 and Lot 22 facilities, which are expected to contribute from the second half of FY26. Reflecting the strong outlook, HLIB Research has raised its earnings forecasts for FY25 to FY27 by 8%, 7% and 17% respectively. The research house has a 'buy' rating on the stock with a raised target price of RM1.69 apiece, adding that it believes Southern Cable is well-positioned to capture further market share amid growing infrastructure and energy demand.
New Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
HLIB starts coverage on Southern Cable with positive outlook
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB Research) has initiated full coverage on Southern Cable Group Bhd, highlighting the company's solid operational performance over the past two years, growing institutional interest and bright earnings outlook. The firm raised the earnings estimates for Southern Cable for financial years 2025, 2026 and 2027 (FY25/FY26/FY27) by 8.0 per cent, 7.0 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively. It stated that the notable increase in the FY27 sales forecast primarily reflects the anticipated contribution from the company's Lot 21 and Lot 22 production facilities. Concurrently, HLIB Research initiated a "buy" call and a higher target price of RM1.69 per share from RM1.55 previously, based on a multiple of 18 times fully diluted FY25 earnings per share (EPS) of 9.4 sen. The firm said Southern Cable's current order book stands at RM1.32 billion, equivalent to 0.98 times FY24 revenue coverage. This includes RM792 million in long-term contracts with utility companies, with the rest made up of purchase orders. "Demand for cables remains robust, with the expanded 3,000 km per year production capacity now largely taken up, as reflected by the strong 90 per cent utilisation rate in the first quarter of the financial year 2025 (1QFY25). "Supported by a robust RM1.32 billion order book and over RM1 billion in tenders, management expects this buoyant utilisation to persist," the firm said. HLIB Research added that the company expects strong utilisation to continue, backed by its RM1.32 billion order book and over RM1 billion in tenders. For Tenaga Nasional Bhd sales, management anticipates maintaining a similar run rate in the next quarter. This period will also see a key transition from the old 1+1 long-term contract to a new one, expected to support slight margin improvements from better pricing. In the private sector, order enquiries for medium-voltage and high-voltage cables remain strong, driven by demand from data centre and East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) projects. In the solar segment, the group is currently fulfilling projects under the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP), with fifth large-scale solar (LSS5)-related demand expected to pick up in the second half of this year. HLIB Research also said that Southern Cable's sales in the United States continue as usual, with no disruptions expected despite the recent announcement of reciprocal tariffs. As one of the customer's top three suppliers, early discussions have indicated that the US customer is prepared to absorb the additional tariffs — reportedly as high as 24 per cent — without impacting Southern Cable's margins. Meanwhile, the remaining 2,000 km a year capacity expansion planned for FY25 will come online by end-FY25, following the installation of new lines. With regards to the new polyvinyl chloride plant, installation is currently underway, with commissioning scheduled for 2HFY25.
