Plant Impact Share Discussion Threads

[here and there] 11/3/2014 08:06

I just want them to buy and sell 5-10 times as much Veritas next season. And repeat the same kind of growth the following year. Think we would have a £50-£100 million company on our hands then....


well. one can dream

[bigglesbingham] 10/3/2014 21:11

A very good post that Wan. To me these types of posts illustrate the end game for PIM probably bought by Bayer. But what do I know.

[wan] 10/3/2014 07:49

Interest high in biological market
Posted Mar. 7th, 2014


"It's going to be a validation I believe to farmers as well that this biological space is for real."

Griffith expects U.S. soybean farmers will eventually embrace the products as fully as pulse and canola growers have in Canada.

"We're going to earn our credibility. We're going to earn their trust. They're going to see the economic benefits of these technologies," he said.

Full story -

The above is not about Bayer/Plant Impact, but readers will get the drift.

[wan] 06/3/2014 07:58

From Plant Impacts website -

3 March 2014
Crop diversity decline 'threatens food security

[wan] 05/3/2014 12:36

My vision is also expanding beyond Brazil (and Soybean), but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!

[here and there] 05/3/2014 11:58

The key part of the RNS,

' Growers who have used Veritas™ in the 2013/14 main season soybean crop are achieving value through yield increases that are consistent with our pre-launch promise.'

As Robards pointed out, Bayer's goal was to get their customers to plant 10% of their land with Veritas, then the farmers could see if Bayer's/Pim's claims of a %5 improvement in yield was accurate. The implication being that if the claims stood up they would roll out the use of Veritas on a much greater/all of their soyabean crop.

We really are at the tip of the iceberg of Brazilian sales if Veritas is prooved up by the farmers.

At the moment we are only talking about Bayer's customers in one province. And of the ones who are trying it, they have only used Veritas on 10% of their fields. The maths becomes very compelling if you think about the massive uplift in sales we could see over the next few seasons

[robards] 05/3/2014 09:48

A larger roll out could indeed have a much bigger effect. According to PIM's Brazilian news feed last Nov, the pilot stage was aiming at covering 10% of the available acreage. If that is right, and the 6 months' turnover reflects a 10% coverage, then what might a much bigger percentage next year look like?

Hoping that the interim results will give more detail on this question.

[wan] 05/3/2014 08:55

It was hotter than some expected and indeed hotter than some interpreted! Although there is much more to Plant Impact than Veritas alone (watch this space), a pilot phase for Veritas has already had a very positive financial effect, so a larger roll out by Bayer could have a much bigger effect and arguably be transformational.

[21trader] 05/3/2014 08:31

Did not think the Rns was that hot but there is clearly a stock shortage in
this right now and the mm's are struggling to hold it down until they find some
size sellers.

[visionon] 04/3/2014 18:23

wan. thanks for the Bayer posts. The importance of this relationship for PIM is beginning to sink in with me.

[here and there] 04/3/2014 14:20

150k buy at 18p today....wonder if our CEO has put his hand in his pocket?

[robards] 04/3/2014 12:18

Fund raise surely not urgent now. They have £500k at the seasonal low point for cash balances, with cash hereafter rising.

[wan] 04/3/2014 12:15

I meant to add that Bayer Cropscience division outperformed -

Bayer Up on Higher Q4 Earnings
by Zacks Equity Research Published on March 03, 2014

The Crop Science division, which is engaged in developing and marketing chemical crop protection products (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides), seeds and integrated plant biotechnology solutions for agricultural and non-agricultural uses, recorded sales of €2.0 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013. The segment exhibited solid growth particularly in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, along with Asia/Pacific.

2014 Outlook

The company still expects Consumer Health sales to exhibit low-to-mid, single-digit sales growth in 2014. The Crop Science segment is expected outperform the market.

Full story -

[wan] 04/3/2014 12:11

Well worth a listen to the opening speech and follow-up interview, where Bayer Cropscience say they are committed to not going it alone in addressing the Ag opportunity -

Exciting Opportunities in Agriculture
Posted on March 3, 2014

[visionon] 04/3/2014 08:31

Reading between the lines my thought was that a fund raise is maybe not urgent but I guess that they may do one to fund a specific project. Last year they raised funds mid year from Fidelity at 23p to specifically fund Veritas push. share price at the time was much lower. So hopefully it would be this kind of scenario.

Pleased to hear that they will be talking about Wheat at the investor's day. Presumably that could be a very significant market. Ukraine is known as the breadbasket of Europe...

[wan] 04/3/2014 07:42

A very reassuring update, in that we can park Egypt, as this was more than offset by success in Brazil (albeit Egypt may add to growth in the future). Readers may recall that marketing of Veritas in partnership with Bayer is a pilot phase, so one assumes that with further proven yield increases, importantly in combination with Bayer products, bodes well for a full roll out, which could be transformative for Plant Impact.

I further note the continued efforts regarding Veritas for the late season crops in the southern hemisphere crops, and given the switch by some growers to a second late crop of Soybean (over corn), and given the yield improvements already being seen from the earlier crop, this also bodes well. In short, we get an overlap from the extended southern hemisphere season (second/late crop) as we enter the northern hemisphere growing period, in which growth is also anticipated.

I note cash has held up well, with receivables higher than expected, hence the cash balance is set to improve.

[jaf111] 04/3/2014 07:30

I think update very encouraging.....up to now most concerns have rightly focused on lack of sales growth, but these worries are surely allayed......

So to me this is a very positive update and expect share price to move higher!!!

[pugugly] 04/3/2014 07:22

Trading update. Progess made but still significantly loss making.

"The Company's net loss in the period narrowed to approximately £500,000 compared to nearly £800,000 in the six month period to 31 January 2013. The Company is expected to report approximately £500,000 of net cash on its balance sheet at 31 January 2014."

Good progress reported with Veritas™ but no indication - I can find - as to when the company will become profitable though an expectaqion that cash level will rebuild.

I am still not sure if they will be able to avoid another cash call.

Views ?

[p1nkfish] 01/3/2014 20:13

copyright is a problem, basically saying they consider it a buy. probably accounts for friday volume.

[here and there] 01/3/2014 11:29

can anyone cut and paste the interview? i do not have access.

city natural resources have been buying steadily ever since taking an initial stake in the autumn 2012 fund raising

[p1nkfish] 28/2/2014 20:38

PIM had a mention in Moneyweek, page 32, by Will Smith, Snr Fund Manager at City Natural Resources High Yield Trust.

[hashertu] 28/2/2014 16:03

Thanks wan. Interesting.

[wan] 21/2/2014 13:05

I would strongly recommend a read of 'all' the news items (translated) for a few notable insights -

[wan] 20/2/2014 08:02

Bodes well -

Brazil edges U.S. in soybean crop production
Tom Doran, Field Editor
Wednesday, February 19, 2014

WASHINGTON - With the U.S. crop production estimates for 2013 solidified, the global trade now turns toward South America and its upcoming harvest.

The excessive heat and dryness in the southern growing region of Brazil was offset by adequate conditions in the largest crop production area of Mato Grosso, resulting in a projected record of 90 million metric tons of soybeans, up 1 million tons, or 1.1 percent, from last month's estimate and surpassing the U.S. production of 89.51 million tons.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's estimate is 8 million tons above 2013.

Harvested area is forecast at a record 29.5 million hectares, unchanged from last month and up 1.8 million hectares, or 6.5 percent, from last year.

Brazil's soybean yield is estimated at 3.05 tons per hectare, compared to 2.92 tons per hectare in the U.S.

About 12 percent of Mato Grosso's soybeans have been harvested, and reports indicate early-maturing soybeans are producing above-average yields. Mato Grosso is expected to produce as much as 28 percent of the total national production.

Currently, the soybean crop condition in Rio Grande do Sul reportedly is good despite areas with limited rainfall. Yields are anticipated higher than last year.

Soybeans in Rio Grande do Sul are just past flowering stage, so precipitation during the next two weeks is crucial for pod fill. Rio Grande do Sul represents about 16 percent of the total soy production.

Full story -