OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 April 2009 was announced, that ASTARTA's agri companies are finalizing the preparation for the spring sowing campaign that will start at the beginning of April.  The breakdown of sowing areas this year is the following: 23.3 ths ha of spring barley (up 5% y-o-y); 15.2 ths ha of soy (up 21% y-o-y); 12.3 ths ha of corn (up 16% y-o-y); 11.2 ths ha of sunflower (up 2.7% y-o-y); 15.8 ths ha of forage crops (up 11.3% y-o-y) and 2.8 ths ha of other crops.

35.1 ths hectares or 17% up y-o-y, have been already prepared for the sowing of sugar beet this spring. The increase in the production of the in-house sugar beet is an important element of ASTARTA's vertical integration strategy. As sugar beet production is forecast to further decrease in Ukraine, the Group will secure around 90% of own raw material for the sugar production season of 2009.

Altogether, about 158 ths ha or 9% up y-o-y, will be used in operation in 2009.

Comment by the head of the agricultural production department Serhiy Mayorov: "ASTARTA's agri companies have all the agricultural machinery, POL*, seeds, and crop protecting agents for the beginning of the sowing campaign. Moreover, we have the necessary quantity of fertilizers to fertilize winter crops at the area of 34.4 ths ha".

For reference: In 2008, the Group harvested about 393 thousand tons of grains and oilseeds (up 96% y-o-y) and 1.56 million tons of sugar beet (up 65% y-o-y).