Ukraine is set to continue its grant program supporting greenhouse and tunnel construction.
Taras Bashtannik, President of the Ukrainian Horticultural Association, explained that the shift toward closed-ground production is not new to Ukrainian growers, but financial barriers have long delayed adoption.
"Ukrainian farmers have understood this for a long time and know well all the advantages of closed ground, but they did not have the financial means, and most importantly, support programs. When support programs for tunnels appeared, many farmers immediately began to develop, because they allowed to significantly reduce the initial investment in a project."
According to preliminary information, the grant program has already been extended for next year, with applications expected to open soon.
"It's no secret that this is promising. You avoid most weather risks, and you increase the quality and quantity of the product. This makes it possible to 'stretch' the season and reduce the number of workers needed for harvesting. Mostly, closed ground is all advantages," Bashtannik added.
Source: www.seeds.org.ua
