IMPROVED oilseed processing margins helped Cargill to a four-fold profit increase for its second quarter of its fiscal year.
Cargill has reported net earnings of $US409 million ($A386) for the three months to November 30 compared with $US100 million ($A97 million) for the corresponding period in 2011.
It said the origination and processing sector was the largest contributor to the company's second quarter results.
Agricultural services, which included animal nutrition, was also a major contributor to profit.
Meanwhile, US seed giant Monsanto also reported a healthy 269 per cent rise in earnings for its first quarter of trading for the year.
For the three months to November 30, net income was $US339 million ($A320 million), well above the $US126 million ($A122 million) reported for the same period in 2011.
