Stevia Corp. Appoints Veteran Agribusiness Development

INDIANAPOLIS, IN--(Marketwired - May 1, 2013) - Stevia Corp. ( OTCQB : STEV ) ("Stevia Corp" or the "Company"), a farm management company focused on the economic development of stevia, the fastest growing product in the alternative sweetener sector, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Andrew Kaelin to its growing advisory board as a specialist in aquaculture matters.

Mr. Kaelin brings over 30 years of international development consulting and commercial agribusiness experience with a specialization in fisheries, aquaculture, and food safety. He has started up, owned, operated and advised private commercial agribusiness ventures and cooperatives in Africa, Asia, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America. His commercial and consulting experience extends all along the supply chain from primary production to value added products for end consumers. Over the last 24 years, Mr. Kaelin has provided consulting services to the World Bank on hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and coastal resources management in China, Mexico and currently in Indonesia. Mr. Kaelin is Managing Director of AIS Aqua Foods, Inc, a seafood production and marketing company. He is also responsible for the developing country program of the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) that currently has activities in the countries of Morocco, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Uganda, and has advised the Government of Mauritius. Mr. Kaelin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Zoology from the University of Miami, a Master's degree in International Management from Thunderbird, and has completed graduate coursework in Development and Agriculture Economics at the University of Colorado. Mr. Kaelin is a member of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, The National Fisheries Institute and has been a regular speaker at the annual China Fisheries and Seafood Exposition and the annual Global Shrimp Outlook conference (GOAL), also the 2013 Global Seafood Marketing Conference.

George Blankenbaker, Stevia Corp President, comments, "We are very pleased that Andrew has joined our growing team and he has already begun work to introduce our Stevia formulations to operations in Asia, establish preliminary trials for our new products and develop market channels for the fish production under our Stevia Quality Mark emphasizing the Naturally fed and Sustainably produced attributes."

Mr. Blankenbaker continued, "We expect to see an immediate benefit from Andrew's involvement as we are actively working on developing US market channels for existing fish production with our first test shipment being planned this month."

In related news, the Company's current crop harvest continues to progress keeping the Company on track with expectations.

Mr. Blankenbaker adds, "This initial success will form a platform for our subsequent expansion and has attracted large buyers from Korea and Europe which we are arranging test shipments this season and are negotiating production contracts for subsequent seasons. In the meantime, Mr. Kaelin's appointment is timely as we begin to develop the market for our aquaculture production, which we expect to be in full gear by next year. Because of the longer growing cycle, the aquaculture production takes longer to establish, but ultimately we expect this to be our largest revenue contributor long-term."

Further details of the Company's business, finances, appointments and agreements can be found as part of the Company's continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database. For more information visit: www.steviacorp.us .

About Stevia Corp. ( OTCQB : STEV ) Stevia Corp. is a farm management company focused on best practice agronomic competency in order to deliver high-value stevia through proprietary plant breeding, excellent agricultural methodologies and innovative post-harvest techniques. To date, the Company has acquired two grower supply contracts and three nursery fields in Vietnam. For more information visit: www.steviacorp.us .

About the Stevia Industry Sector Within two years of the USA market opening, Nielsen-based retail consumption data indicated almost $1 billion of retail sales for the sector. In 2010, stevia products were launched across thirty-five countries and in 38 categories. Zenith International estimates worldwide sales of stevia extract reached 3,500 tons in 2010 with an overall market value of $285 million and forecasts the global market for stevia will reach 11,000 tons by 2014 requiring the tripling of stevia leaf production at the farm level to keep pace with consumer demand. For more information visit: www.steviacorp.us .

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, developing the US market, progression of crop harvest, test shipments and potential future orders from Korea and Europe, development of aquaculture production, future revenue contribution from aquaculture production, business strategy, worldwide sales of stevia products and stevia extracts, growth of stevia leaf production and growth of the stevia global market. 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.