OREANDA-NEWS. Commenting on the company’s Q4 FY13 performance, R Mukundan, managing director, said, “Overall for the year the domestic chemicals and consumer business registered 36 percent EBIT growth whereas fertilisers had a 20 percent fall in EBIT. Overall, the company registered a growth of 15 percent in EBIT across segments. With continued softness in the fertiliser segment, we expect a muted performance even though there is a positive tailwind from expectations of a normal monsoon as announced by the weather bureau. On consolidated basis, results were impacted due to impairment charge of Rs484 crore, which led to a 52 percent fall in consolidated annual profit. We expect times to be challenging both domestically and internationally and this, coupled with liquidity crunch due to delayed payment of subsidy, continues to drag the company’s performance. On the strategic front, we continue to focus on specialty and consumer business and the implementation of the nutraceuticals plant in Chennai is on schedule.”

Businesswise performance

Living Essentials

Tata Chemicals remained the market leader with 66 percent market share in the national branded segment.

Tata Salt retailer family grew by 14 percent in FY12-13.

Water purifier business achieved 15 percent y-o-y growth in bulb sales.

Pulses sales volume grew steadily compared to previous year.

I-Shakti pulses voted product of the year.

Besan was launched in Ghaziabad, Lucknow, NCR, Faridabad, Agra, Bareilly, Saharanpur and Patna.

Industry essentials

Global as well as domestic soda ash demand firm.

Soda ash prices for the quarter were stable, though pricing pressure increased.

Cement production for the year higher than expected.

TCE performance was impacted due to equipment issues, but is now improving.

TCNA production on expected lines.

TCM sales were impacted due to rains, but is getting back to normalcy

Farm essentials

Urea production along expected lines. Demand impacted due to poor monsoon.

Demand for neem coated urea seen rising in the market. Accounted for 35 percent of total urea production in FY12-13.

SSP registers 60 percent sales growth y-o-y.

Rallis net sales up 15 percent for FY13. Registers EBIDTA of 15 percent.