Agricultural producers in Vinnytsia region have harvested 75,000 tons of tomatoes so far. The tomato harvest in 2023 is projected to be twice as large as last year.
This was reported by Oleg Sidorov, the Director of the Department of Agricultural Development of Vinnytsia Regional State Administration.
According to him, this result was facilitated by favorable weather conditions and an increase in the area under vegetable crops.
“The areas under onions, tomatoes, and squash crops have increased. Industrial areas have been planted with peppers and eggplants. Specifically, in the vegetable structure, onions make up 16%, carrots – 11%, table beets – 10%, cabbage – 11%, tomatoes – 12%, cucumbers – 10%, garlic – 9%. Among agricultural enterprises, the largest areas were occupied by onions, cabbage, carrots, table beets, and tomatoes.
The areas under tomatoes in all categories of farms amount to almost 3,000 hectares, of which only 40 hectares belong to agricultural enterprises,” says Oleg Sidorov.
According to the director of the department, there is currently a shortage of capacities for processing and freezing vegetables in Vinnytsia Region. Therefore, prices for vegetables in markets and stores depend on the season.
“We’ve already started greenhouse farming, and the next step is processing. Today, it’s better to process tomatoes on-site rather than transporting them 500 km to other regions. Bringing finished products adds value on-site. This creates jobs and contributes to the budget. If a mini-canning plant operates, providing jobs for 15-20 people, it’s a plus.”
“Our next step is processing. This year, we invested in a bale press and are considering heating our greenhouses with straw bales. Biomass will always be available. Only the logistics of this biomass vary. Initially, it will be a boiler operating on straw bales, and then a plant that we’ll launch using sunflower waste.”
Source: Suspilne