Despite a pandemic time, a large-scale meeting of representatives of this industry and related industries took place in any way. The Lviv hotel and restaurant complex "Warsaw" hosted this event in compliance with completely sanitary and epidemiological norms. All made for the sake of popularization and implementation of up-to-date technologies for growing and processing fruits, berries, and nuts, promoting the revival of traditional Ukrainian beverages based on fruits, berries, and honey and the production of value-added products. For the organizers of the conference - the media group "Technologies and Innovations" this goal remains unchanged for many years and actively implementing with each new conference. 

 

Kateryna KONEVA, the founder of the media group "Technologies and Innovations" noted the following: "We, our team, of our media group together with all participants made pretty great job, because together we conducted an important and cool event! And each of us attached maximum efforts to do so. Thanks to everyone for being with us. Such conferences add forces to move on, succeed and create own happy, successful future doing our lovely job."

On October 22, the first conference hall hosted the plenary part of the Horticultural Conference and the Nut Forum, including two roundtables that bringing together industry leaders and experts. In the second parallel hall, a technological exhibition, presentation and tasting of processed products including the second Public Tasting of juices have been conducted as well. On October 23, a business tour took place to the leading horticultural farm "Green Garden" and the enterprise GP-Group specialized in product freezing.

 

Oleksandr MATVIETS, Chairman of the Ukrsadprom Association, - Main Business Partner of the conference, noted the following: 

 

Not in vain, the conference has a name "From the Land To the Finished Product" as this event includes a wide range of issues that characterize the development of the horticultural industry. Moreover, I also want to admit duly formed program and selection of speakers and participants, as most of the urgent topics were successfully covered, that happened not so often! 

 

And, he continued: 

 

- "We conducted a meaningful roundtable, meetings, exchanged our experiences during communication with like-minded people. This is exactly what we horticulturists lacked in this turbulent year! ...It was nice that we were able to discuss the situation and outline ways to solve urgent issues and further development. And most importantly, look into each other`s eyes. and, most importantly, many horticulturists were able to see online the roundtable on distance, being the online participant as well"

 

Thus, the conference was able to gather a wide audience. Representatives of horticultural and processing farms arrived almost from all the country: Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, Lviv regions, etc. Moreover, due to the interactive format of the event, they were able to hear each other.

 

 

The conference program covered current topics, in particular, about innovations and business tools of the horticultural and nut industries. No less an important event was the roundtable on "Results of the horticultural season 2020. State support for horticulture and processing industries. Problems of the industry and ways to solve them." The discussion was moderated by Oleksandr Matviyets, Chairman of the Ukrsadprom Association. The participants were Olena Pastukh, Chairman of the farm "Pearl of Podillya", Taras Melnyk, Chief Agronomist of the farm "Gadz", Vasyl KOZAK, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Association "Ukrsadprom", Chairman of Sokyryany District Council, Anatoliy SEMENYUK, General Director of Vinnytsiasadvinprom Corporation, Mykhailo FEDYNETS, Head of the farm Nadiya Sad, Oleksandr Yareshchenko, Deputy Director Institute of Horticulture of NAAS of Ukraine, Viktor Dytynko, co-founder of the company Dolyna Agro, aksym Bortnyk, representative of group of companies VITAGRO.

 

 Today, horticulturists are faced with very difficult questions. The industry is developing, but without government supports, the industry may put on pause. And simply put, first of all, this is not about budget financing but about the tax legislation which needs changes, including preferential credit resources including helps from the state concerning the export of production throughout the world. 

 

- We have already learned to grow quality products, so help us open the markets of Egypt and Asia, where they are waiting for us. The European market is overwhelmed, and we are a direct competitor for them. It is now necessary to unite efforts - farms, self-government bodies, diplomatic services, ministries - so that we can prepare the appropriate phytosanitary certificates, documents, etc. Need more evolve, but also need state understanding and support, was noted up by the conference moderator.

 

Communication between horticulturists, managers, agronomic services of different companies has already started! Everyone clearly understands that they are not competitors to each other, told by Taras MELNYK, chief agronomist of farm "GADZ":

 

- I`ve been engaging in horticulture for ten years, and for the last 3 years, I see serious breakthrough due to the efforts of the Association. Farmers have been able to unite and introduce excellent Ukrainian apples at the market. At the international exhibitions, we introduce themselves being as Ukrainian products. And the international community sees that we can be enough competitive, and keep going to develop. I also want to admit how much work do industrial journals of the media group "Technologies and Innovations", because 10 years ago there was almost no specialized literature. Today we have a lot of information, the journal that always in trend, where innovation, advice, and experience are gathered. We are all together developing Ukrainian horticulture. I do hope that in the future our growers will be able to actively and productively cooperate!

 

Traditionally, equipment and technologies were widely presented at the conference. So, Ukrainian and European manufacturers and suppliers presented their technological innovations, solutions and products at the exhibition: "Eucalyptus R", "Advice &Consulting SRL", "Escande", "Sorter Pak", "Profoliv", "Rosetta Agro", "Irrigation Systems", PE Soroka, "Karens", "EFT Plus", "Eco Berry", "Insolar-Kholod", Plant Club, "Rusbana" ,"Vodovid", "Birok", "VITAGRO", Zhydachiv pulp and paper plant, "Fruits of Poltava region", "Eco-Kray", "Clioma service", farm "Nadia Sad", OBSTTECHNIK-FRUITTECHNO, "Fruit Orchard", "Staryy Pidval", "Transchimtrade", "Secateur", "Bacchus", "Eco-organic", JNP group, FMC, "Kingspan-Ukraine", "Anivol", "Smart agro", "Pak Line", "Bratslav", "Rosana 1" and others.

 

The horticultural conference covered the following topics: cultivation, harvesting and processing of stone and pome fruits, in addition, a nut forum - various varieties of nuts. According to experts’ opinion, industrial nut orchards in Ukraine will soon come into the full fruiting phase, as they are only about 5-6 years old. But there is already a need for mechanical harvesting and processing of the existing harvest.

 

- It`s pleasant fact that our nut growers are becoming more interested in equipment and innovative technologies for working in orchards harvesting and processing. Our audience is those owners who can look ahead and understand the importance of quality equipment that will manage with harvest volumes and tasks that are increasing every year, - told Oleg SKOROBAGATYJ, Commercial Director of OBSTTECHNIK- FRUITTECHNO. He also added that at such events like this one, the target audience is real who are interested in and want to learn something new to develop themselves!

 

Indeed, the audience of the conference is progressing every year - farms are developing, new directions are mastered. So, farms that used to be engaged only in the cultivation fresh products, for today they are already engaged in frozen or product processing with the use of another way for juices, pastilles, jams, etc. Farmers who have grown only one type of fruit are diversifying production, by introducing new varieties. For example, the company "Victoria" specializes in juice production but next year is going to open the production of roasted candied nuts from their Transcarpathian nut orchards.

 

- I constantly attend conferences of the media project "Technologies and Innovations". I meet new friends here; I learn new material, in particular, about crops and varieties, solutions and approaches. Previously, I was engaged in fruit seedlings cultivation, but for the last two years started to deal with highbush blueberries, grapes. Today I already have a collection of more than 25 varieties, and this year I have already gathered up to 700 kg of peaches from my orchard for selling. And simply put, such events inspire me to the development; moreover, it unites us, Ukrainians! " -told by farmer Vitaliy CHATA.

 

 

Berry - fruit -nut processing became a separate important part that united farms of different directions. The current situation in the industry and prospects were also discussed within the roundtable on "Freezing and processing of fruits and berries as an effective tool for creating added value product. Thus, Anatoliy Kruchinin (company "VICTORIA"), Tetyana Kucherenko (company "Fruits of Poltava Region"), Volodymyr DMYTRUK (Guild of Mead-brewers of Ukraine) and Emil VINNYTSKY, director of the enterprise for freezing fruits and vegetables GP-Group took part in the discussion. The moderator - Maxim BELOZYOROV, an independent consultant told for the following:

 

-The domestic industry of fruit and berry processing has significant prospects. Comparing Ukraine with Poland, we can see how much deficit of capacity we still have. And, we observe how year by year new enterprises and farms build, which shows that our processed products market is still not overwhelmed. Most companies are already moving towards food safety certification. For Ukraine is a good marker to move in a civilized direction and follow the existed European trends. By working in the food industry, we should always strive to the current innovations; and change our products with the focus on usefulness and quality.

 

Experts` minds think alike that the main problems of the horticulturist are: the lack of power in the quality storage and the necessity in creating conditions for investment and increase the level of trustiness to the country, and the last non-perfect legal base. 

 

The conference speakers admitted cooperation as a real promising direction for development and entry into international markets. But on what is better focus on the developing of fresh fruits and berries sale or better go to processing - where each farm makes decisions for itself.

 

There was the exhibition presentation of wines and other alcoholic beverages based on fruits and berries with the attendance of many brands such as "Staryy Pidval", "BAHUS", "BIROK" including representatives of the Guild of Mead-brewers of Ukraine. In addition, the companies "Fruits of Poltava region", farm "Valentina", "Sady Karlovshchiny", "Volodymyrski Sady", TM Longo May, enterprise Gloria, farm "Agro Svit-SV" also presented their products.

 

 

The award ceremony and Public Tasting of direct-squeezed juices became a culmination of the celebration of Ukrainian natural products. The tasting competition has been conducted for the second time within the conference. Thus, Public Tasting consisted of four categories: "Apple Direct -squeezed juice", "Apple Direct -Squeezed Juice With Adding Of Fruit & Berry Ingredients" and "Special Juice (all types of juices did not get to the list category)." Poltava Farm "Eco-Kray" became the absolute leader in the Public Tasting won gold in each category. And, silver and bronze medals got manufacturers of direct -squeezed juices such as farm "Valentina", company "Victoria" and the company "Vitmark-Ukraine".

 

Tetyana KUCHERENKO, technologist of farm Eco-Kray noted the following - "We have an orchard that covers almost 100 hectares. We grow all varieties of apples, pears, apricots, plums, cherries, and berry crops. After that, we produce juices, pastilles, candied fruits, drying and  frozen products. In the production of juices, we try to preserve the color, taste, and nutritional properties of the berry, that one juice which is added to the base liquid - apple juice. There are no chemical admixtures, sugar, or preservatives our juices are natural completely. We play on the aroma of berries, varietal properties of apples. Participation and victory in the Public Tasting convinced us that we move in the right way, and the win gives us a push for further improvement and development.

 

 

By tradition, the visits of the leading regional farms is an unchanged part of the conference "From the Land To the Finished Product". Thus, on October 23, the conference participants were able to see how implemented innovative solutions work in practice and enough successfully for the orchard Green Garden and processing enterprise GP-Group. 

 

Farm Green Garden, located in the village of Novosilky, Busk district, has about 38 hectares, mainly apple orchards, as well as pears, plums, peaches, and cherries orchards. The whole plantations are equipped with drip irrigation, through which the plants are watered and fed. The territory has everything you need for an automated system: own borehole, an artificial reservoir, weather station, and high speed internet with video surveillance. Apples and peaches pass sorting on the line with a capacity of 3 tons per hour, stored in up-to-date fruit storage with RGS.

 

Company GP-Group is engaged in growing and freezing their berries and provides services for freezing and product sale preparing for other farmers. The processing complex is equipped with a fluidization tunnel of shock freezing from company Unidex, modern sinks, conveyors, inspection tables, a fan, packer, peduncle separator, weight batcher, metal detector.

 

Olena BOLTOVSKA, the project manager of the company ROSANA BIOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, admitted that how much she liked the business tour. During that business tour, we were able not only to see the horticultural and processing plant in reality but also to learn how everything works inside, difficulties that the company has and how to deal with them and move on further in development. I have been taken over a lot of new things and made certain conclusions, in particular, what information now farmers and producers need most of all, on what is better to make a focus, what aspects should be analyzed by me in detail.

 

Each of the conference participants made their own conclusions, gained new experience, knowledge and contacts. Together we discussed many important issues, found a common language and no less important thing, we got engaged support from each other. Summing up two days of intense analytics, we can say that today Ukraine occupies a leading position in the production of apple concentrate and frozen berries, however, still manufactures a product with low added cost. There are prospects concerning the scaling of production areas and processing in the context of moving from market struggle as for price to the forming and developing strategy of own "Product Values." At the same time, creating a Ukrainian brand, filling it with content, strengthening its reputation is a common and urgent task of all industry representatives!