Astarta to expand land bank to 200 ths ha

Astarta (WSE: AST PW) CEO Viktor Ivanchyk said yesterday at an agricultural conference in Kyiv that his company is planning to expand its land bank by 20 ths ha to 200 ths ha in 2010 via the acquisition of agricultural companies and leasing farmland in regions it is currently present. Ivanchyk also said the company expected to put two grain elevators with 20-30 ths mt of capacity each into operation this year; construction is already underway.