OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2007. According to development strategy and in the framework of implementation of the Group's investment program, modernization of ASTARTA's agricultural machinery fleet is being made, the company's press service reported. Therefore, signing of a number of contracts between ASTARTA Holding N.V. and American producers of agricultural equipment and machinery Amity Technology, Chief Industries Inc., Mathews Company, CNH America have been completed.

The subject of the contacts is a purchase and sale of agricultural technique and equipment: tractors, planters, combines, cultivators, grain and beet harvesters. The total price of the contracts is around 11 million dollars. Contracts are concluded on usual for similar agreements terms.

This equipment will be used both for cultivation of present agricultural land and the newly acquired one. The Group considerably increased its agricultural areas to 133 thousand hectares in 2007 compared to 90 thousand of hectares in December, 2006.