New York - Ford Motor Company will not meet its goal to return to profitability by 2009, hurt by rising costs and declining interest in its fuel-hungry trucks and sport utility vehicles, executives said Thursday.

The second-largest US automaker had pledged to again be in the black by next year, but that goal has been delayed and instead the company will likely break-even in
2009, chief executive Alan Mulally said in a statement.

Unless there is a fairly rapid turnaround in US business conditions, which we are not anticipating, it now looks like it will take longer than expected to achieve our North American automotive profitability goal," Mulally said.

Rising steel prices have hit production costs, while higher petrol prices have curbed car buyers' appetite for Ford's signature trucks and SUVs, prompting the company to shift its production toward smaller, more fuel efficient cars, such as the Ford Focus.

Executives plan to cut total production by 15 per cent during the current second quarter, by 15 to 20 per cent in the third quarter and by 2 to 8 per cent in the fourth quarter of the year.

Ford continues to be profitable on the international market, and expects the trend to continue next year in Europe and South America. (dpa)