KYIV, May 14 (Reuters) - The International Finance

Corporation has issued a $40 million financing package for

Ukraine farm group Astarta to build the country's first soy

protein concentrate plant, it said on Wednesday.

The financing package includes a $27 million loan for IFC's

own account and a $13 million concession loan from the

government of the Netherlands, it said in a statement.

"The project will support farmers by expanding the supplier

base and increasing market purchases. The plant will also

produce soybean molasses, a byproduct of production, for its own

biogas needs," IFC said.

Ukraine harvested a record 6.5 million metric tons of

soybeans in 2024 but the harvest may decrease to 6.11 million

tons in 2025 due to a smaller sowing area.

APK-Inform agriculture consultancy said this week Ukraine may

export 3.69 million tons of soybeans in the new 2025/26 season.