The Fruit Garden farm in Ukraine's Vinnytsia region continues to expand fruit production and prepare volumes for external markets despite weather-related challenges and labour shortages, according to agronews.ua.
Serhiy Zykin, owner of the agricultural enterprise, said the 2025 season was affected by prolonged spring frosts. The orchards are located in a lowland area, increasing exposure to frost risk compared with neighbouring regions. To reduce damage, the farm applied chemical protection methods and used air heating with fuel oil. These measures resulted in higher production costs due to fuel and labour inputs. Despite these constraints, the farm recorded yields of around 70 tons per hectare.
The enterprise currently manages 60 hectares of apple orchards and 10 hectares of pear orchards. Limited availability of land near Vinnytsia has led the farm to focus on restoring and replanting existing plots rather than expanding onto new sites. This approach allows production areas to grow while maintaining proximity to existing infrastructure.
The farm's medium-term strategy is to allocate 50 per cent of total production to export markets. According to Zykin, demand for Ukrainian apples in export destinations remains firm, provided quality requirements are met. As a result, orchard management and post-harvest handling practices are being aligned to support export readiness.
At the same time, the enterprise is developing cooperation with domestic retail chains. Zykin noted that Ukrainian retailers are raising quality specifications, which is influencing orchard management decisions. He indicated that these requirements are pushing growers to improve production technologies and to renovate orchards on a more systematic basis.
The combination of export orientation and domestic retail supply is shaping production planning at the farm level. Weather risk management, orchard renewal, and labour availability remain ongoing challenges, while market access is increasingly linked to consistent quality and volume.
Fruit Garden's current focus is on stabilising yields under variable climatic conditions and aligning production with both export and domestic retail standards.
Source: AgroNews
