Astarta starts sugar production campaign

Astarta Holding (WSE: AST PW, HOLD) started processing freshly harvested sugar beets at its Globyno and Yaresky sugar plants in Poltava region and at its Zhdanivsky plant in Vinnitsya region, the company reported on Tuesday. Other sugar plants controlled by the group will begin work by the end of September. Astarta said harvest volumes confirm earlier management guidance regarding sugar production of 350 ths mt in 2011. Astarta operates eight sugar plants, with total daily capacity of 33 ths mt of sugar beets.