Thanks, Howard.
Agriculture’s quarter, and and of strong, The very closed Hemisphere. with played highlights quarter the season X, in division for expected. the quarter Turning growth. as the recap was double-digit we the with as I’d out largely the to half, this then sales Northern start to we’ve the slide like second operating EBITDA second Ag planting progression out first sales largely
You planting. planting mid-May, four in rates weeks unseasonably cool may US recall the the quarter to pushed behind. essentially favorable By the by or rates bring early for showed Hemisphere when Farmers planting complete. weather up, normal impressive three fast. up May, to had in ability weather planting conditions warmed the and an that late May, field corn was progress began, returned had Northern became levels and By back
most teams a of for harvest that then, generally again since Now, field good the farmers parts start despite for yield remained products our and conditions the forecasts sales year, customer. all country. have the We to delayed. came should favorable this volume gains successfully show quickly have most late been We to as recovered way were that we the achieved deliver of our pleased together had with XX%,
on Let touch other highlights me of three the quarter.
achieved corn A-series we hybrids price and by continued new of gains, soybeans. First, penetration local driven
Second, due work supply productivity, better to delivered nearly launches. insecticides, and growth and product debottlenecking new with we in XX% on
make synergy continued target, toward to synergy cost while growth our Third, our progress we advancing work.
pipeline soybean advance Meanwhile, increased supply our unit products. RRXXtend we we quarter, rose penetration in soybeans. as new the was our the and improve germplasm, efficiency to of down, While this on to of royalty chain work continue costs bring costs our expected of the
launch that seed and products and priced our next It’s current did the for is note new discounting season. position best ever see expect not heavy and been, crop any value, as to to the products to protection product XX five in years. has our continue it pipeline important over new We we the
in natural to action to European substance, fact, receive This active last control Union. Inatreq, earnings the Septoria, parts yields believe the product disease products of many a our fermentation many new of marketplace. sources, in the which in were and has since of in use this derived Inatreq by offers we example This to from a encouraged continued innovative naturally our derived market. been bringing produced reinforces wheat reducing In call, that approval is for leadership Europe. we appeal to is farmers mode will
causes as volume volume by Ag local and division’s to sales half, nearly Turning were of first our currency the performance pressure two-fold. were for gains the the price offset flat, were declines. The
saw a reduction corn America North This both soybean seed and sales. area. planted in impacted First, reduction and crop protection
the in reduced as shortened in toward resulting summer the a corn harvest minimize as of Second, season technology delayed lower to given area impact growing acted farmers planted the well Brazil, yields, the as lower shift safrinha lower time.
as our support in X% EBITDA these of full value we expanding operating X.X both To our process, offerings and strategy. out provide for out about are Given complete product to we same up agronomic strategy, billion as year, for including a At see more the management in the our building to versus in expanding XXXX. technology the strategic invest of we solutions. building launches multi-brand, and time, research our continue customers, multi-channel We use our digital see factors, well digital farm own growth capabilities. product our
see we strategically For farmers in addition in introduced important Ag in becoming present Russia innovative and strategy example, year’s to an Brevant this is Brazil, on of and launching our Brevant path will seed the we line-up. this past in brand company. to increasingly brand fall, US seeds Ukraine, shifts well Corteva when quarter, next
trusted over to focused, about to bring products Ag we that, a to value farmers excited the better to the drive ever Materials productivity, partner I’ll acres. With their farmers cover play creating offers the ways for Science. committed right And are it our while a that are shareholders. right market future pure for We as to Jim for company, higher turn