The first conference day was full of reports, speeches and discussions from leading industry experts. The participants learned about the latest technologies and world experience growing berries and vegetables. An exhibition-presentation of equipment, technologies, and materials for berry, vegetable growing, and floriculture took place successfully. Participants had the opportunity to taste fresh and processed products from Ukrainian producers.

 

The conference began with a welcoming speech from the organizers and partners – Kateryna KONEVA and Nadiya YASHCHUK – founders of the media group “Technologies and Innovations”.

 

– Our producers are ready for the new season, have huge plans to develop their business, and do not give up in hard wartime; they hold the economic front. We, the Technologies and Innovations media group, carrying out this 42nd conference, are happy to assist them in this, was emphasized by Kateryna KONEVA, the co-founder of the Technology and Innovation media group.

 

Taras Bashtannyk, the head of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association, moderated a discussion panel on the topic “Growing Berries and Vegetables Undercover: Experience of 2024, Technologies and Innovations. Ways of Financing, Prospects for Development”, during which experts evaluated the operation of grant programs in Ukraine and gave practical recommendations for obtaining state support. 

 

Taras Bashtannyk told the participants that the grant program from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food for gardens and greenhouses has been operating for the third year in Ukraine, which allows this sector to develop. Moreover, the conditions for participation and receiving grants are fully transparent and understandable. Currently, payments are being closed to participants who submitted their applications at the end of 2024 and are open to obtaining new ones.

 

Ihor VISHTAK, director of the Department of Agrarian Development of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, delivered a speech about promoting horticulture and berry growing during the conference “Vegetable and Berry Growing. Open Ground and Undercover. Technologies and Innovations”. 

 

 

Igor Vishtak emphasized, that he felt great gratitude for visiting such an event and that the media group “Technologies and Innovations “shouldn’t stop, and keep going with its development by presenting modern technologies. He wished everyone success and peace, that everyone could work on the land, and support families and citizens with quality products.

 

 

Dmytro SOLOMCHUK, People`s Deputy of Ukraine, told us about "Victory Harvest" Buffett Foundation its areas of work, and the equipment provided to farmers for temporary free use. For many farmers, such assistance is a chance to restore and continue their work. Thousands of farmers have already taken advantage of the assistance. And many vegetable growers received tractors for their work. He also emphasized other support areas for farmers funded by Howard Buffett in Ukraine. In particular, we are talking about grants from the Mercy Corps organization, which are aimed at supporting affected farms. Moreover, the People`s Deputy also called on farmers to contact him if it will be necessary to find effective ways to solve their problems.

 

 

 

“Cultivation of raspberries and blackberries undercover in artificial substrates: world experience”. Speaker — Jeremy DARBY (Great Britain), independent agronomist-consultant specializing in growing berries, asparagus, and berry nurseries, with more than 40 years of experience, who advises berry producers and berry nurseries in Britain, Europe, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and other countries of the world. 

 

 

“Peculiarities of pollination during growing berries and vegetables undercover. Secrets of high yields”. Olena BOLTOVSKA, a specialist in pollination and protection of fruit and vegetable crops, project manager at Rosana Biological Solutions.

 

 

“From the experience of growing berries, vegetables, cherries in tunnel film greenhouses”. Oleg DIDUKH, representative of HAYGROVE company, the main Technology Partner.

 

“Proper greenhouse lighting is the key to high yields. Practical experience using the example of “Askania-Flora”. Volodymyr LUSCHIY, project manager and Viktor PIDOPRYGORA, head of the department at “GREEN POWER EURO ELECTRIC UKRAINE”.

 

 

"Supplemental lighting of berry crops in protected ground." Victor SHULESHKO, scientist, owner of the most effective vertical farm-laboratory in Ukraine, founder and CEO of GREEN FUTURE ENGINEERING.

 

 

 

"Comparison of growing raspberry varieties in open ground and tunnels". Bartlomiej DANEK, director of NIWA hodowla roślin jagodowych (Poland), Roman FRANCHUK, director of "LNZ-Agro" company and nursery "Blagodatne".

 

"Current work on a strawberry plantation for spring, including acceleration of harvest ripening. Undercover and open ground" Iryna KOBRYNETS, agronomist-consultant. 

 

 

 

 

 

“How to move from cultivation to a full production cycle: the possibilities of current processing equipment”. Robert REISIG, representative of KRONEN GmbH.

 

“How to create an effective business that can actively develop. Why tunnels are better than greenhouses. The most important issues that berry and vegetable growers need to pay attention to”. Bogdan LUTCHYN, founder of the Berry Prykarpattya farm.

 

“Increasing profitability in fruit and vegetable processing”. Olga RESHETNYK, Business Development Manager of Tolsma Teknik.

 

  

“Promotion of your product uniqueness, using the example of Green Wave Organic vertical farms”. Volodymyr NOVYY, candidate for the mentor of the Board business community, owner of Green Wave.

 

“Steel buildings - reliable solutions for processing and storing products using the example of successful projects”. Andriy Vasylyk, regional representative of LLENTAB company. 

 

“Certification of berry and vegetable farms”. Igor CHECHITKO, expert on standards implementation, Goodfarm project.

 

 

“How technologies and artificial intelligence are changing the berry and fruit business”. Oleksandra VOLOVYK, representative of Business Development Manager xFarm (online).

 

“Regulation of the planting material market in Ukraine”. Ivanna MARCHENKO, plant variety specialist at the patent law firm “Pakharenko and Partners”.

 

“Drip irrigation systems for berry and vegetable growing”. – Vladyslav RAZKEVICH, drip irrigation technology consultant at the company “Eucalypt P”.

 

 

“World-class biological solutions in growing berries and vegetables.” – Igor CHAYKA, Commercial Director of Agritema.

 

“How to get high-quality vegetables and berries in the conditions of global warming.” – Valentyna YAMKOVA, Head of the Science and Agrochemical Service Department of Vitera-Ukraine, the Main Technology Partner of the conference.

 

 

 

 

“Biological protection in storage chambers: research results and prospects in their using”.Artur Sizhuk, agronomist-consultant for berry crops at Biochem Agro.

 

“Useful microbiota in berry and vegetable growing technologies”, – Yaroslava BUKHONSKA, a plant physiologist at the BTU Biotechnology Company.

 

“Innovative Belgian GroGreen fertilizers – maximum results!” – Olena KUBAY, Head of Sales and Key Customer Development Department at Grossstar company, microbiologist, phytopathologist, plant physiologist.

 

 

 

“Creating technology for growing white cabbage taking into account its biological characteristics and physiological needs.” Zinovia YELINSKA, agronomist-consultant.

 

 

“Grapes undercover: features of cultivation and care. According to the results of the 2024 season.” Olga YULINA, owner of the Yulinyh Vineyard family farm.

 

 

“Range and technological peculiarities of modern blueberry production”. Serhiy ZMIYCHUK, General Director of FruTek company. 

 

 

In the evening, after the main part of the conference, a charity auction took place in support of the 106th battalion’s RVP, where Oleg Chulga serves, who grows blueberries in Sloviansk. Previously, he was a regular participant in conferences organized by the “Technologies and Innovations” media group. As a result, 62 thousand UAH was collected during the auction.

 

The second day included a business tour to the leading farms of the Kyiv region: Oleg Pustovoit’s farm (growing berries undercover and open ground), and “Zelena Planeta”, founder Fedir Dremlyuga (growing tulips, vegetables, and berries in open ground and undercover), where participants had the opportunity to look at the current technologies for growing berries, vegetables, and flowers.