OREANDA-NEWS. January 6, 2011. Last week ASTARTA's sugar plants successfully finished beet sugar production campaign. Around 1,560 thousand tons of sugar beet were processed ( plus 2% y-o-y) and the Group's sugar plants produced 200 thousand tons of sugar. A decrease in sugar output y-o-y was caused by unexpectedly low yields as well as low sugar extraction ratio (12.7% in 2010 vs. 14.8 % in 2009 ) as a result of harsh weather conditions.

At the same time, due to the consistent investing into sugar plants modernization, the average consumption of natural gas at ASTARTA's sugar plants for processing of one ton of sugar beet reduced by 8% y-o-y to 33 cubic meters.

In 2010, ASTARTA has harvested more than 330 thousand tons of crops. Despite unfavorable weather conditions that negatively impacted yields, ASTARTA increased the gross harvest of corn by 3% and soybeans by 61%.

A significant part of ASTRTA's production activities relates to cattle farming. In 2010, the cattle headcount has increased by 9% to 24 thousand heads. More than 51 thousand tons of milk ( plus 16% y-o-y) was produced as average annual milk output per cow comprised 5 thousand tons ( plus 14% y-o-y).

Following strategy of growth, as at the end of December 2010 the Group managed to increase its land bank up to 210 thousand hectares ( plus 20% y-o-y). All the land is used in production process: in full conformity with the technological scheme, cultivation of soil for spring sowing campaign of 2011 on  area of above 160 thousand ha ( plus 26% y-o-y) has been conducted, including application of complex mineral fertilizers for the next sugar beet harvest on about 43 thousand ha. Winter crops on the area of 41 thousand ha ( plus 17% y-o-y) are in good condition.