In order to provide the residents of Crimea as well as tourists with fresh vegetables all year round, the greenhouse acreage on the peninsula is to quadruple. There has been gradual growth recently but it is far from reaching the recommended norm of vegetable consumption yet.
The enterprise Krymteplitsa is one of the oldest in the sphere not only on the peninsula but also among other former Soviet Union countries. Next year they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary. Over this period, the growers have experienced two waves of economic crises that brought the complex to the edge of bankruptcy.
Today the biggest greenhouse complex in Crimea is going through a revival process. The current acreage covers 16.4 ha. They grow cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants and champignons here. All the seeds originate from the Netherlands. The local hybrids, according to the general manager of the enterprise, cannot compete in taste and transportation qualities.
“We have an experimental facility, where we monitor this or that variety and, if it suits us, increase its quantity”, mentioned the head of the enterprise. “The greenhouse industry is very sensitive and does not allow for mistakes. Once mistakes occur, one can lose crops for five to six years”.
The watering process, as well as the humidity level and microclimate control are fully automated. Despite the sanctions, the enterprise is actively cooperating with European greenhouse producers. Italian company Lucchini installed about 3 ha of polycarbonate greenhouses here. This year they are planning to build their own nursery.
“We pick crops practically every day. Monday is the main crop day and on Tuesday we pick what is left”, says Mr. Aleksandr Vasilyev. “Our task is to get 240 tons of cucumbers per ha”.
The produce is sold not only in Crimea but outside it too. The deliveries are made to many big cities of the European part of the Russian Federation. The growers even tried to deliver their vegetables to Sakhalin, but because of the great distance have decided to discontinue this direction.
Currently there are five big greenhouse complexes with an overall acreage of 37 ha in the region.
“The recommended medical norm of greenhouse vegetable consumption is 26 kilos per person per year. In reality local dwellers consume 1.9 kilos”, noted Mr. Andrey Ryumshin, the Minister of Agriculture of Crimea. “In order to meet the demand in locally grown produce we need to increase the production to at least 20,000 tons per year. Therefore, the greenhouse acreage should be enlarged to 140 ha.
In the near future, the greenhouse complex Belgorodskiy, with an acreage of 17 ha, will be launched in Crimea. However, the corresponding ministry representatives put their hopes in individual farmers too. Currently, the overall acreage of small-scale greenhouses comprises 525 ha, of which 208 ha are allocated to the production of young plants. Since 2015, 32 farmers of Crimea have received state support in the amount of 546 thousand euros. It is quite possible that the farmers will feed the local dwellers and tourists with the fresh produce sooner than major greenhouse complexes.
Source: rg.ru