It is reported by press center of the company.

Considering the negative weather impact on plants throughout the entire year, namely the prolonged drought in the eastern and central regions of Ukraine and spring frosts in the West, yields are predictively lower than last year. Thus, the average gross yield of sugar beet amounted to 429 centners/ha. However, the sugar content of beets remained at a high level and averaged more than 17.0% at «Astarta» (compared to 16,3% Ukrainian average according to «Ukrsugar» data as of 11.12.2020).

As the level of moisture in soil remains unsatisfactory in the Eastern regions of operations, the company envisages amending cultivation technologies next year. In particular, these include lowering the seeding rate to give a larger area to plants fornutrition and additional inter-row application of liquid fertilizers. There are also plans to increase irrigation provided that the state enables an access to reclamation systems.

Valeriy Sokolenko, «Astarta» Executive Director, comments: «Despite all the negative factors during this season, «Astarta» remains the leader in the sugar industry. The company's sugar plants produced 226 thousand tonnes of sugar. Thus, we are going to retain around 22% share of the sugar market in Ukraine».

«Astarta» increased A grade sugar in total output to 99.0% (versus 95.5% in 2019), as well as about 70 thousand tonnes of extra-class sugar were produced. Another year for «Astarta»’s factories to have demonstrated the the highest sugar yield per tonne of the raw material processed. Namely, Yaresky Sugar Refinery has the highest rate in Ukraine producing almost 168 kg of sugar from a tonne of sugar beets, while the average rate in Ukraine is 136 kg/t. These results achieved due to focus on operational efficiency and skills upgrading, which the company will continue to apply next year.

Based on European logistics scheme "field-plant", it was also possible to reduce the losses of sugar beets during their unloading and storage at the pick-up section. Such an approach, in combination with «Astarta»’s operational improvement system (OIS), has allowed to increase the share of A grade sugar in total production.