Governor of Kaliningrad, Nikolay Tsukanov
"Kaliningrad is going to reach agricultural self-sufficiency"
To increase the agricultural production in the region the growing areas of vegetables have been increased by 30% this year. To motivate the agricultural producers the conditions of government support have been changed in terms of one cropped hectare, so that by expanding of cropping area by one third the budgeting equals 100 euros per hectare. As noted by the Minister of Agriculture in the region, Vladimir Zarudny, this condition has helped a lot to increase cropping areas and thus has already provided the self-sufficiency in potatoes, beet-root, and cabbage.
This year a new greenhouse complex Orbita Agro with the total area of 2.2 ha has been built and the production of tomatoes and vegetables has been increased.
‘Our next step is to organize a closed circuit production, and not only vegetable-wise, but in our agriculture in general’, - has noted Nikolay Tsukanov while visiting the greenhouse complex.
In this regard, the greenhouse Orbita Agro is expanding the cropping areas for strawberries; LLC Kalinkovo is due to start building three new greenhouses for growing berries.
According to the Governor’s opinion, orchards are to become widely spread in the region.
It is to be recalled that last year with the support of the regional government the first commercial apple orchard (20 ha) was set up. This year it is going to be increased by another 50 ha. A few other orchards are planned to be made in autumn.
The subsidy assistance is arranged by Ministry of Agriculture in Kaliningrad: 4 000 euros per hectare of an orchard, 2 000 euros per hectare of a berry field.