SALES OF "ASHTARAK KAT" DAIRY PRODUCTS TO RISE BY 30% BY THE END OF 2006

Yerevan, June 14. ArmInfo. The sales of "Ashtarak Kat" dairy will
be increased by 30% by the end of 2006. Since January 2006 till May
inclusive, the company’s sales volume reached 703.6 million drams,
"Ashtarak Kat" Executive Director Khachatur Atanesyan told ArmInfo.

He said the company’s sales for 2005 totaled 1 billion 343 million
drams, net profit – 206 million 200 thousand drams as against 988.2
million and 120 million 800 thousand drams in 2004, respectively. Kh.

Atanesyan said the sales were increased due to the growing demand
for the company’s products.

He said to meet consumers’ needs, in the September of 2005, the
company started an exclusive production of candied cheese-curds of
four types: vanilla, chocolate, with peach jam and condensed milk
filling. In addition, the company launched production of 7 types of
yogurts and yogurt drinks. Kh. Atanesyan said the company’s products
are special due to the milk delivered from the highly mountainous
meadows in Armenia which are 2,000 m above the sea level. The company
has milk purchasing points in five regions of Armenia: Aragatsotn,
Lori, Shirak, Gegharkunik, and Syunik. Kh. Atanesyan assured
ArmInfo’s correspondent that the whole process of dairy production
is controlled in the system of up-to- date laboratories accredited
by the Armenian state standard. He said that guided by the principle
of mutually advantageous cooperation with farmers, "Ashtarak Kat"
effectively uses also the surplus milk in spring season. Thus, due
to the up-to-date technologies, whole milk power has been produced
since 2001. The ratio of nutrients in the dried milk is the same
with that in the original milk. Kh. Atanesyan said the company both
exports and uses the dried milk in the production in winter period.

To note, "Ashtarak Kat," was founded in 1995 on the basis of the
cheese dairy plant in the village of Agarak, Aragatsotn region. The
company cooperates with 1,200 farms in 52 villages in Armenia and
employs 350 people.