In the village of Bichevaya near Khabarovsk, the first locally grown cucumbers of the new season have been successfully harvested. Farmer Andrey Kim, leveraging a grant from the “Agrostartup” program, cultivated these vegetables in greenhouses installed last year.
Despite facing unusual spring cold spells across western Russia, which threaten the current season’s yield, farmers in the Khabarovsk region are also contending with unseasonably low nighttime temperatures in June. The Far East of Russia, known for its high-risk agriculture, necessitates greenhouse cultivation to secure a reliable harvest. Andrey Kim’s method in Bichevaya exemplifies this approach.
Kim harvested his first batch of cucumbers early in June. Utilizing the funds from the “Agrostartup” grant, he constructed four new greenhouses last year. Now, every two days, he gathers the crisp, green cucumbers and supplies them to the “Mnogoryadov” market.
Two additional greenhouses were inherited from his parents, making a total of six structures covering slightly more than three hundred square meters. Kim also cultivates open-field vegetables on an additional hectare. Although crops like eggplants, peppers, and cabbage would benefit from the protection of a greenhouse, the cucumbers are thriving, blooming, and yielding well.
To optimize the growth of his tomatoes, Kim prunes the suckers, ensuring no more than two main stems per plant. This technique channels the plants’ resources towards fruit production rather than excessive foliage.
This year, new farmers can receive up to 7 million rubles by participating in the “Agrostartup” grant competition. The regional budget has allocated 41 million rubles to support up to 10 successful applications.
Galina Poduzova, head of the regional Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the ongoing support for the program: “The ‘Agrostartup’ grant support operates under the federal project ‘Acceleration of Small and Medium Enterprises.’ Our regional project ‘Creating a System for Farmer Support and Rural Cooperation Development’ complements this initiative. We announced this year’s competition on June 24 and will accept applications for a month.”
Applications for the “Agrostartup” grants are now submitted via an electronic portal. Prospective participants can receive comprehensive support from the Competence Center of the Regional Agricultural Fund, which assists in preparing and uploading applications to the digital platform.
Since its inception in 2019, the “Agrostartup” program has facilitated the construction of 10 animal facilities, the acquisition of 12 tractors, 142 pieces of agricultural equipment, and the erection of 52 greenhouses.
