Future of the Berry Industry in the Results of the Conference "Berries and Processing": A Vector in the Direction of Innovations, Marketing, Organic Technologies, and Legalization
18.12.2018, 16:20
This year, International scientific-practical conference "Technologies and Innovations: Berries and Processing" has brought together to Rivne more than 300 participants from Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Georgia. The two-day event was held with great success on December 13-14. About 50 participating companies with 33 stands of equipment, technologies and other related materials have been represented at the technological exhibition. Moreover, the main event, dedicated berry growing, was supported by industry associations, and state institutions. The audience of the conference is practitioners, scientists, and market experts, fresh berry producers and processing products. Organizers - the project "Technologies and Innovations" were able to provide the maximum information and opportunities for business development of each of the participants. The conference day has shown the main trends of the Ukrainian and world`s berry industry, by doing so, outlined the future course of development enterprises. Besides, a business tour to a leading berry farm has demonstrated how these tools can be applied in practice.
The founder of the project Technology and Innovation, Kateryna KONEVA in her welcoming speech has said following: “In 2016, we began to conduct conferences for professionals. And in two years, we felt an active movement among the berry - fruit producers toward to introduction of innovative technologies. The thing is that people have begun to understand that without appropriate knowledge, you will not move as fast as possible, as otherwise, you can easily lose your money. Berry growing is an old branch of the agricultural sector, has a lot of traditions, but today it is an innovative branch, including the latest technologies, approaches and materials, new varieties. There are a lot of opportunities for development that we are trying to demonstrate. 2018 was complicated, but in your hands to find your customer, create a successful business, and we will help you with this! “
The topics of the conference have covered the entire supply chain, starting from the berry- field and to the sale of berry products. The General Partner of the conference was the company Bayer, the world`s leading producer of plant protection products and the latest solutions. In the focus of experts and speakers were mainly the topics concerning the cultivation, marketing, storage and processing of popular berry crops, in particular, highbush blueberries, garden strawberries, raspberries, and black currant.
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The conference day has started with a roundtable on the theme "Development of the Domestic Market: Marketing, and Culture of Consumption". The head of the department development of horticulture, viticulture, and winemaking of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine Victor KOSTENKO, Director of the Department of Agricultural Development of Rivne Regional State Administration Nadiya PEREHODKO, head of the UkrSadvinProm, Volodymyr PECHKO have participated in the discussion. All interested participants have joined the discussion.
The head of the department development of horticulture, viticulture, and winemaking of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine Victor KOSTENKO has noted: "For the last three years, the dynamics of export is significantly growing among of all berry crops. We are pleased that today our products are gaining not only the Eastern market but market of West Europe and Asia, as well as other countries. However, there are also some key issues, in particular, the lack of investment attractiveness due to the land - sales moratorium, low level of state support, and low export potential of products. For today, the Ministry is trying to resolve these issues with public sector organizations."
In 2018, the government will reimburse the cost of planting material planted during the year on an area of 3.8 thousand hectares, among of them, pomaceous fruits 559 hectares, stone fruits - 294 hectares, pea-fruited - 1820 hectares, strawberries - 179hectares, berry bushes - 743 hectares including highbush blueberry - 480 hectares, vineyards - 229 hectares, and hops - 6 hectares.
According to Victor Kostenko, about 400 million UAH of state support are supposed to allocate in 2019 on the key aspects for these sectors, the half of which for construction RSG fridge freezers and quick-freezing rooms as well as sorting lines, equipment for sublimation, processing, for the production of natural juices and fruit and berries wines based on own grown raw materials. Another 200 million UAH will be allocated for the expense reimbursement for horticultural material and the care of young plantings of perennial crops including organic production. It should be noted that cooperatives of different types will have the advantage in obtaining financial assistance for constructing freezers and for purchasing of processing equipment.
Nadiya Perekhodko has noted that 300 hectares of berry crops for industrial production have been planted by business owners, in the Rivne region the last three year and the overwhelming majority without project documentation. The second problem is using of planting materials which are not included in the state register. Today, the state may reduce the seedlings cost, if you plant the registered varieties, and it will help you to raise your business. Moreover, in our region was launched the state support of organic production to reduce the overall cost of achieving certification. Among of 6 contenders who received it, four are berry growers. Having regard to the fact that the overwhelming majority of small berry growers are still in need to join into a professional association, clusters or it can be any other form of cooperation to joint berry growers that helps to develop.
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We couldn`t ignore the legal issues, especially the main principles of proper running paperwork, the mechanism for obtaining state assistance. The General Legal Partner, IP and Law firm Pakharenko & Partners, was presented by Anastasia TERZEMAN. The expert has told about the peculiarities of protecting intellectual property rights for plant varieties, which provides significant market benefits for any business. In the presentation the following topics were explained: acquisition of intellectual property rights for plant varieties; licensing contracts, in particular, main problems, based on jurisprudence; plant variety names and trademark, peculiarities of common using.
One of the central themes was the positioning of berry products with the label "Made in Ukraine" in international markets, as well as the sale of fresh and processed berries on the domestic market, and export. Taras BASHTANNIK, director of company Ukrainian Berry, the Main Organizational Partner of the conference, has told more detailed about this.
He said the following:" The main problem of Ukrainian growers is that we know how to grow, but at the same time, we don`t know how to sell. Sales are directly related to after-harvesting and marketing. Sales channels must be evaluated and determined at the stage from the idea of creating a berry- field. It`s important that large batches must be formed similarly. The market for processing products is promising, because there are certain restrictions on exports for fresh berries, especially for strawberries and raspberries, in particular, a very short shelf life. It`s necessary to enter the market with value-added products, not with raw materials. Retail, HoReCa are promising segments in which the price for berries will not fall as it was with the raspberries this season. The global market needs more fresh highbush blueberries, sweet cherries or frozen berries. What is very important for export is compliance with the correct cold chain. The biggest focus in freezing process is the temperature inside of the berries not outside."
During the whole conference day, an exhibition of European and Ukrainian companies with the presentation of the technology of berry care and berry processing was held in the hotel - restaurant complex "Aivengo". Participation in the exhibition was taken by 33 companies, in particular, Voloshyn, BTU-Center, BIO CENTER, MIZOL TM AGRID, Plast Box Ukraine, SV-Kholod Zakhid Plus, Agronom Plants, Haygrove Sp. z o.o., Poland Plants Sp. z o o., Polska borowka sp. z o.o., WREMCZUK FMR Sp. z o.o., ALONET-BIS Sp. Z OO, Floramedia Polska, ADANA-3, ALFAINTERPLAST, Bayer, DEKOPLANT, Eucalipt P, Dolyna-Agro, Club Roslyn, entrepreneur Novosad S.M, Kholod-Inzhiniring , Superborówka.pl, Incools Engineering sro, Agrooptima, FG Fruit Garden AT, Sorter Pack, Ceres Ukraine, Klioma Service, Zlota Jagoda, Rosetta Agro, AGRIMPEX, PROFPOLIV, Agrithema.
The world`s market trends and the experience of adaptation of harvested berries in compliance with European requirements were presented by a delegation of Polish specialists.: agronomist Krzysztof Sak, (Agronom Plants), Dr. Powel Kravets (Malinowe Factory), Krzysztof Botul (Zlota Yagoda), Stein Hertz ( Poland Plants), Dr. Myroslav Kozhenevski ( BAYER), Marek Yamry (HAYGROVE), Tomaz Polishak (Agrimpex).
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The agronomist of the company BTU-Center, Volodymyr SILENKO had noted that the conference was organized as always at the high level. At the same time, he said: "I am glad that there are a large number of companies, engaged in service industries, but I am also pleased to see a large number of producers and farms. And, I heard a lot of positive feedback while communicating with them. They are very pleased with the useful information received from Ukrainian and foreign speakers. We see the event is very necessary and done in good time. Especially if taking into account that today berry growing is undergoing a boom, which, in my opinion, will not be a downturn for a long time. I believe in this! And especially I believe in the growth of organic berries."
To the event was joined the following berry farms as: farm Sad Mikhalychukiv, company Yagodnaya Dolina ( Belarus), Progress Agro, AF Perlyna, Tiferet (Moldova), entrepreneur Kryachchivka-Agro-Plus, Agrospetsgosp, Flora, Korets-Sad, enterprises Nykdariya, Netafim Ukraine, West Berry, Agrosilprom, ECOGALICHPRODUKT, Vash Sad, Organic Sad, TULSKY SAD, Yagidki, Pershy Jagidny, AF Dobrobut, AF Vitamin, farm Agro, Agroholding MRIYA, farm Dyvokray, farm Kukety, Avant Organik, Triumph-Life, Dubno Kolos, and others, more than one hundred.
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Within the conference, we organized a large-scale exhibition of technologies and equipment, we also invited experts in this area, because we realize that pre-sale product preparation and, especially, berry processing is a real way to get value-added products and increase profits. A making fruit -and -berry wines has been presented as a new promising direction in the processing sector. The manufacturers have recently received the green light for the revival of national beverages and the diversification of their business, due to the simplified licensing and cancelation of very heavy excise.
Volodymyr Pechko has noted the following that the market for processing products, including juices and fruit - berry wines, will become very popular in our country in the near future, through the cancelation of license in an amount of 500 000 UAH, by doing so, the process of doing business is more simplified and faster now. Moreover, he said: "It was set up an excise tax on 1 liter of fruit-and-berry wines in the amount of one kopiyka. From now on, the berry growers will pay taxes not as producers of alcoholic beverages, but as producers of agricultural products. The revitalization of fruit- and -berry winemaking will contribute to the development of many related industries. Raspberry wine, currant, strawberry one is that direction that needs to be developed now! "
All participants of the conference had the opportunity to try original Ukrainian beverages and products based on berries and fruits during Public Tasting. The director of fruit and vegetable berry nursery, Vitaliy CHATA has presented berry wines based on cornelian cherry, cherry, raspberry, currants, white and pink grapes. Oleksandr ANDRIEVSKY, owner the brewery Schultz, who is also engaged in growing raspberries, was able to surprise us by the high qualitative dry raspberry wine made on brewing equipment. The buffet and entertainment program with the performance of the amateur group Teren became a pleasant ending to close up the conference day full of information.
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On December 14, the conference participants have taken the way to the business tour to visit an enterprise "Ukrainian Berry", located in the village Markushi, Berdychiv district of Zhytomyr region. The enterprise covers the area over 100 hectares for growing highbush blueberry, garden strawberry, gooseberry, raspberry, black currant, cherry, and other berry crops. The farm representatives welcomed the delegation and carried out an excursion for showing the latest processing complex, and told about the company and technology of cultivation berry crops. A master class on winter pruning of highbush blueberry has caused an extreme interest.
The International Conference "Berries and Processing" is not only valuable by precious information but at the same time, is also one of the best platforms for communication and solving urgent issues! So, let`s meet at the next berry conference, traditionally to be held in Saint Andrew`s Day, on December 12-13.
A farmer from Belarus, Oleksandr Semenyak said the following: "I like the conference. I`m here for the first time, and the conference is interesting and useful for me, being as a beginner in berry business. This year, my company laid a plantation of raspberries and strawberries in the Brest region. All themes were relevant because, for obtaining a good result, you need to be aware of all these aspects, and constantly learning new things. Most of all, I was interested in freezing. As the Belarusian market doesn`t consume our products as much as we would like, we need to export."
The project "Technologies and Innovations" is already being prepared for the next conference for the horticultural and processing industries "From the Land to the Finished Product", to be held in late March 2019 in the city of Cherkasy, with the support of the Main Organizational Partner, the company MAIS.
General Partner of the conference – company Bayer
Main Organizational Partner – enterprise Ukrainian Berry
Main Sectoral Partner - Public union Ukrsadvinprom
General Legal Partner - Patent Law Firm Pakharenko & Partners
General Informative Partner - Ukrainian-Polish magazine "Jagodnik"
The main branch informative partners are the magazine "Horticulture and Viticulture. Technologies and Innovations "," Gorishnyk. Technologies and Innovations. "
The main online partner - site KURKUL.COM
Information partners are magazine Agroindustry, newspaper Agribusiness Today, info agency Agraveri, Shuvar-info, site Business, Rayon
The conference is supported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine, Rivne Oblast State Administration, as well as with the support of the Association "Berry - Growing of Ukraine".