Stevia Corp. Provides Spring Harvest Guidance
INDIANAPOLIS, IN–(Marketwired – Jan 28, 2015) –Stevia Corp. (OTCQB: STEV) (“Stevia Corp” or the “Company”), an international farm management company and healthcare company focused on the commercial development of products that support a healthy lifestyle, including stevia and hemp and their compounds, is pleased to announce that the company expects the current 2015 spring harvest to exceed 3,000 tons achieving a 50% increase over the 2014 spring harvest and a 300% increase over the 2013 spring harvest.
The majority of the spring harvest will occur during the Company’s fourth quarter ending March 31, 2015 with the balance occurring during the first quarter ending June 30, 2015. The Company also harvested additional test fields during the quarter ending December 31, 2014.
George Blankenbaker, Stevia Corp President, commented, “Now that we have established a significant production base of a diversified crop portfolio, much of the focus during 2015 will be to develop higher margin and value added products. Industrial Hemp and its related products will constitute a significant portion of this effort as we explore several commercial opportunities.”
Mr. Blankenbaker continued, “We will continue developing our core business of farm management and post harvest processing which includes continuing discussions with our major Korean customer to establish a joint manufacturing facility in Vietnam and expanding our aqua culture production to South America to produce seafood for major US restaurant groups and European buyers. However, we believe the greatest potential value will be generated by our focus on intellectual property surrounding the commercialization of cannabidiol and industrial hemp and we intend to file several more provisional patents in this space.”
About Stevia Corp. (OTCQB: STEV)
Stevia Corp. is a farm management company and healthcare company focused on developing highly nutritional, high value products through proprietary plant breeding, excellent agricultural methodologies and innovative post-harvest techniques. Stevia Corp invests in R&D and IP acquisition and manages its own propagation, nursery and plantations as well as provides services to contract growers and other industry growers. Stevia Corp was founded on the principal of implementing socially responsible, sustainable, quality agribusiness solutions to maximize the long-term efficient production of nutritional crops. For additional information please visit: www.steviacorp.us.
About the Hemp Industry Sector
Hemp is a crop that can be grown for food and non-food purposes. As a result of its numerous nutritional benefits, many new food products containing hemp seed and its oil are finding their way into the marketplace, including protein mixes, pasta, tortilla chips, salad dressings, snack products and frozen desserts. Non-dairy hemp “milk” beverages, which provide significant amounts of omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and protein, are also available. Hemp oil is also used in nutraceuticals and health care products as well as industrial applications.
As an industrial fiber source, hemp is undergoing rapid growth as a natural fiber in everything from clothing and textiles to automotive composites. The fiber is also gaining popularity as a building material such as insulation.
The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) estimated that the 2013 retail sales value of hemp food and body care products in the United States was $184 million. When clothing, paper, auto parts, building materials and various other products are included, the HIA estimates that the total retail value of hemp products sold in the US in 2013 to be at least $581 million and included more than 50,000 products.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the size and timing of the spring harvest, development of higher margin products in 2015, exploration of commercial opportunities in the industrial hemp market, potential joint manufacturing facility in Vietnam, expanding aqua culture production in South America, intellectual property development, patent filings, annual retail value of hemp products sold in the U.S., growth of industrial hemp product industry, product development and business strategy. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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