WASHINGTON, D.C. - ASTARTA KYIV LLC (ASTARTA HOLDING N.V.), a large agri-industrial company and the leader of the Ukrainian sugar sector, celebrated the 5th anniversary of the listing of their shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange on August 17, 2006 with a reception at the InterContinental Hotel in Kyiv on Wednesday,. August 17, 2011.

Viktor Ivanchyk, CEO and Founder of ASTARTA KYIV LLC said at the reception, "The last five years have confirmed the high quality of ASTARTA, the correctness of our chosen strategy and the high qualification of our management team. In times of economic booms and downturns, which have occurred during this period, our companies have demonstrated stability and the ability to respond flexibly to market changes.

Ivanchyk stated, "we intend to continue the active development and diversification of our business, to increase the volumes of production and expand our sales markets. Herewith, as before ASTARTA will focus on social responsibility, rural infrastructure development in regions of operation and improvement of environmental safety."

A large crowd of Ukraine's business leaders gathered at the InterContinental Hotel to celebrate this historic achievement by a Ukrainian company. The event was also attended by the President of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, Dr. Ludwik Sobolewski and Andriy Dubetsky, CEO of the Exchange's Representative Office in Kyiv.

The U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) was represented at the reception by Morgan Williams Director, Government Affairs, Washington Office, SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Management Group, who serves as President of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) and Michael Datsenko, Deputy Director, Information and Member Programs.

Williams said, "ASTARTA CEO Viktor Ivanchyk mentioned he had just returned from being in Minneapolis, Minnesota and New York, New York where he was making arrangements for the purchase of more U.S. made farm equipment and additional trade financing. USUBC is pleased to have ASTARTA and the InterContinental Hotel in Kyiv as members of USUBC. "

"Stable growth and profitability" are the words used by those at the event to define ASTARTA's strategy during the last 5 years. During this period their holdings of land grew 2.5 times, the processing capacity of their sugar plants more than doubled, the number of dairy cows increased 2.5 times.

Due to the increase in efficdiency and the use of advanced technologies the production of their main products is growing even more dynamically: the harvest of sugar beets is expected to reach 2 million tons in the current year (260% growth), grain and oil crops - 600 kt (360% growth), milk production - 65 kt (210% growth). Net assets of the group of companies grew two and a half times over the last five years, the business turnover in 2010 more than tripled compared with 2006 and EBITDA grew nine times.

Thus ASTARTA not only succeeded in meeting the targets set at the time of IPO but also went far beyond them. The dynamic growth and high quality of corporate governance had positive impact on market capitalization.

NOTE: ASTARTA KYIV LLC and the InterContinental Hotel Kyiv are members of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), Washington, D.C. www.usubc.org.