Vinnytsia farmers received significant support under the "eRobota" program, with 13 grants for orchard creation and six for building modular greenhouses, totalling EUR2 million.
Oleksandr Hudima, a farmer who received a grant for greenhouse development, built a 1.6-hectare greenhouse complex. The complex includes 32 greenhouses growing cucumbers and peppers. He plans to harvest up to 120 tons of cucumbers and 70 tons of peppers per season, supplying supermarkets in neighbouring regions. Plans include implementing automatic drip irrigation and heating systems to extend the growing season to 11 months a year.
At the "Dialina" farm, Volodymyr Lukyanenko grows various vegetables and melons to minimise business risks. With a state grant, he built 17 greenhouses, 14 of which are planted with peppers, with plans to add tomatoes. The investment included EUR160,000 in grant funds and EUR114,000 of his own money. Lukyanenko positively assesses the grant program and plans to purchase a 500-ton refrigerator if another grant becomes available.
For TOV "Tartak Agro," the grant provided a second chance to grow garden strawberries in closed ground after a storm destroyed the first greenhouses. The owner built new, sturdier greenhouses on 0.8 hectares, investing EUR34,000 of his own money and receiving EUR79,600 from the state. The greenhouses produce Dutch and Italian strawberry varieties and their planting material. With the grant, Roman expects full project payback in two years, which would have been impossible without state support.
TOV "Frutsad" received a EUR55,300 grant for orchard development, allowing them to plant a 6.6-hectare pear orchard with over 12,500 trees of the "Ksenia" variety. This orchard will be highly productive for 15 years and will help reduce pear imports, contributing to national food security.
The 2024 State Budget of Ukraine allocates 1.37 billion UAH (31 million euros) for the "eRobota" program, with 383.6 million UAH (8.7 million euros) for orchard, berry, and viticulture development, and 95.9 million UAH (2.2 million euros) for greenhouse farming.
Source: ukrinform.ua