KYIV. Aug 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Kernel Group, one of the largest operators on Ukraine's sunflower oil market and a grain exporter, increased net profit 43.4% year-on-year in the 2010-2011 financial year to $217.6 million.

The company report says its revenue in 2010-2011 jumped 86.8% to $1.91 billion.

Kernel said that in the fourth quarter of the financial year net profit surged 84.5% compared to the same quarter in the previous financial year to $53.71 million and revenue doubled to $478.31 million.

The company predicts that its net profit will grow 17% in the 2011-2012 financial year to $255 million. EBITDA is predicted to increase 19.7% to $370 million and revenue 20.7% to $2.3 billion.

Kernel said it planned this season to boost sunflower processing 35% to 2.7 million tonnes, partly by acquiring assets in Russia, and to boost grain exports 40% to 2.5 million tonnes, although the profit margin on grain exports will be lower than last season.

Kernel Group plans this season to produce 120,000 tonnes of sugar at UkrRos Sugar Union refineries.

Kernel raised sunflower oil sales 120% in the 2010-2011 financial year to 821,000 tonnes and sold 118 million liters of bottled oil, up 5%.

Sunflower seed processing rose 65.7% to 2 million tonnes but grain sales fell 18.7% to 1.8 million tonnes.

Kernel said it was planning new M&A deals in the near future to enable it to raise output.

The company said in the report that it had taken up an option last Friday to buy 71% of UkrRos Sugar Union.

The Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee on August 26 gave Kernel permission to gain control over Sakh