- We are very grateful that, despite the difficult situation in the country, you (participants) found the opportunity and time to visit our conference "Successful Horticulture and Processing: Technologies and Innovations. Learning to win!". All conferences that are organized by the media group "Technologies and Innovations" are always energetically warm, with positive vibes, and rich in events because here we exchange not only information but also energy and warmth, give each other confidence, faith in a better future, enthusiasm, and wish to create for obtaining better results - was noted by Kateryna KONEVA, the founder of the media group "Technologies and Innovations" in her welcoming speech. 

 

Nadiya Yashchuk, co-founder of the media group "Technologies and Innovations" also added:

 

- We named this conference "Successful Horticulture" because we need success now more than ever to support ourselves, our families, our employees, and ultimately our country, which needs victory so much. And success on the economic front is one of its important components.

 

 

Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras VYSOTSKY delivered his welcome speech to the conference participants. According to Taras Vysotsky, horticulture is an important sector of the agro-industrial complex and the economy of Ukraine overall, and this sector demonstrates sustainability:

 

- We see that the war created many challenges for horticulture, but gardeners should be able to work and develop their businesses. This sector has a basis for growth and quick recovery, especially after our victory. The Government of Ukraine, from its side, introduced grant support for the development of this sector last year, thanks to which gardeners can get grants of up to 70% of the project cost. Thus, more than 0.5 billion hryvnias have already been approved for this program, and gardeners have already received about 300 million hryvnias. It should be noted, that our key message is that the program works to support the industry.

 

Taras Vysotskyi is convinced that the horticultural industry has great prospects for development and growth, especially if we take into account the prolongation of the free trade zone with

European Union.

 

At the opening of the International charitable scientific and practical conference "Successful Horticulture and Processing: Technologies and Innovations. Learning to win!" was Mykhailo POSITKO the head of the city Kamianets-Podilskyi. In his speech, he noted that Ukraine has always been associated with a raw material country, so it`s extrimly important to do everything to develop our processing industry to create value-added products. According to him, the processing industry can be a push for the development of the Ukrainian economy.  

 

Vladyslav MAKARENKO, head of the farm Makosad also gave a welcome speech, wishing everyone an eventful day and inviting everyone to a business tour of his company on the next day, June 2. 

 

Tetyana SMIRNOVA, director of the Charitable Foundation "Strong and Free" during her welcome speech, invited everyone to join the charity auction to support the Armed Forces. A charity auction has been held at the end of the conference.

 

About 200 participants from almost all Ukraine and Moldova participated in the 4th International Charitable Scientific and Practical Conference "Successful Horticulture and Processing: Technologies and Innovations. Learning to win!" Advanced technologies, equipment, tools for plant protection and nutrition, and so on were presented by the following companies "EFT PLUS", "BiochimAgro", "ProfPolyv", "Vodovid", "Summit-Agro Ukraine", "VanDijk Technics", "4 Elements", "SmartAgro", "Rosana", "Alfainterplast", "Makita Ukraine", "Eucalypt P", "Dolyna Argo", "Rodonit Agro", "Ekoorganik", "NOVOSAD",  "Insolar-Kholod", KONSORT, "YUPL Ukraine", "Petrutsalek", "PB ENGINEERING Ukraine", "Ramos", "Makosh, Pixofarm", "Ralco Technic", "VITAGRO", "Fresh Forward BV".  

The following producers became our food partners, introducing their products and providing for testing: Faina Plyashka, Faina Guralnya, Family Winery Zelenytsi, and Strong Distillery. Сonference was held with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, our Main Business Partner of the event. The media group "Technologies and Innovations" has been holding specialized conferences for the horticultural and berry sector since 2016. We provided 31 conferences on the whole and 4th charitable organized during the wartime.

 

 

Each season brings its challenges – diseases and pests. This year was no exception because spring brought many obstacles to farmers: heavy rains, frosts, prolonged cold weather, etc. That`s why the main task for farmers is to develop effective schemes for applying protection and nutrition. That was one of the main conference topics.

 

Vasyl BONDAROVSKY, the head of Biochim Agro, presented specific products for obtaining high-quality harvest. He noted that gardeners constantly have various ideas. Today the farmer grows pears, but tomorrow that can be sweet cherries. Today, he may grow berries but then plants more vegetables, adapting to new other conditions.

 

 

Vasyl Bondarоvsky emphasized that June is the period during which the plant has intensive growth of the current year`s fruits, so if the orchard is fruitful, by doing so, the preparation for next year`s harvest is also being formed. This`s one of the most crucial periods in the plant growth during which worthy to use nitrogen-phosphorus, potassium fertilizers, and trace elements. During this period, nitrogen fertilizers feeding is stopped to prevent the overgrowth of wood but begin to apply calcium fertilizers so that the fruits accumulate and have a good shelf life in the future. Let`s not forget that the plant forms the harvest for the next year, and it’s necessary to provide sufficient irrigation and fertilizers feeding.

 

During the speech, the head of the company "Biochem Agro" introduced preparations for pome and stone fruits. For example, preparation GIBB 3 helps size growth for a sweet cherry, cherry, highbush blueberry and blackberry increases the number of ovaries on a pear to postpone the harvest period.

 

At the same time, contact fungicide Alcoban provides good preventive protection against the following diseases mildew, scab, black rot, and leaf spot, which does not cause the forming of a "net" on the fruits, etc.

 

Ph.D. in agricultural science, head of the expert department of BTU-CENTER, Volodymyr SILENKO, introduced effective solutions for the orchard and paid attention to biological preparations. So, according to the speaker, such types of preparation preserve the diversity of agrocenosis, which are safe for humans and animals, beneficial organisms and do not accumulate in plant organs, and do not suppress them.

 

Consultant in horticulture of the Agritema company, Oleksandr BYKOVSKY emphasized the advantages of biostimulants and growth regulators combating frost in 2022-2023. Andriy OSYKOVYI, the leading expert in horticulture "Summit-Agro Ukraine", paid attention on the orchard protection from pests. In particular, the speaker told us about protection against mites, which harm plants almost throughout the growing season and introduced recommended treatment schemes against this pest.

 

Director of development of the company "Rodonit Agro", Oleg DUBYNA presented innovative preparations and feeding systems for the orchard. In particular, the speaker talked about the advantages copper-containing preparations, which are qualitatively and equally should be applied to the treated plant surface, uniformly release copper ions, protect against diseases for a longer time and keep its effectively even in heavy rains.

 

Meanwhile, the regional manager of the company "UPL Ukraine", Serhiy GERASYMCHUK gave the conference participants own recommendations on the protection with allowed rates of drug use for the apple orchards. And the head of the science department of "EKOORGANIC" Ph.D. in agricultural science, Oleksandr STUPENKO talked about effective fertilization of orchard fruits. All conferences organized by the media group "Technologies and Innovations" are always attended by plenty participants, including many unchanged partners. In particular, it is about BTU-CENTER company.

 

Volodymyr SILENKO, Ph.D. in agricultural science head of the horticulture department of BTU-CENTER, noted how much the charity conference "Successful Horticulture and Processing: Technologies and Innovations. We Learn to Win!" was successfully held! That`s the reason why our company is a regular participant in the events organized by the media group "Technologies and Innovations." All events are always very well-organized and completely productive, including many participants, so we are pretty happy to be a participant. But the main thing is that there is real feedback: communication with colleagues, exchange of experience, and of course, work with our partners.

 

All conferences from the media group "Technologies and Innovations" are attended by well-known producers and beginners. So, this time the following enterprises were among the participants of the event: private joint stock company "VICTORIA", private enterprise "ARONIA", farm "SAM+", PE "Yanke-Agro", PE "Demetra plus", enterprise "Firma Amal LTD", farm "Promin", company "Adama Ukraine", farm "Garant", farm "Horizon", company "Yagidnyi Rai", farm "Malyna", "TerraTarsa Ukraine", "Pidgaychik", company "Fruitmasters", company "Sady Donbassa", farm "Ridnyi Sad", company "Zhydachivsky Pulp and Paper Kombinat", company "Korets-sad", PE "Hrynchutske", etc.

 

 

 

Traditionally, the focus of the conference speakers was the latest technologies, without which it’s impossible to build a successful business and obtain a good and high-quality harvest in future. Topics about effective irrigation, and quality methods for plant protection and nutrition, technologies for fruit post-harvest processing, etc, were discovered. The conference speakers deeply discovered the issues regarding the latest technologies in the orchards. 

 

The lasted technologies for intensive gardening were presented by the representative of the Italian company Valente, Christian FERARRI, who spoke online and talked about high-quality pillars and covers for pome and stone fruit orchards.

 

Natalia LUT, the director of the company "SAD OK", analyzed in detail the most common mistakes in the system installation and exploitation for protection against hail and rain and machines for protection against spring frosts. The conference participants learned about the parameters of the covering systems, the installation, and testing of anchors, etc.

 

Nataliya BELIKHINA, a consultant on precision irrigation technology of the company "Evkalipt P" told participants about precision irrigation systems in horticulture and how to get high harvests while saving production resources. The speakers also paid attention to the technologies of post-harvest processing for fruits. 

 

 

Current technologies for the pre-sale preparation of berries, fruits, and nuts were presented by Alina MOSTOVA, the client manager of the KONSORT association. So, Alina MOSTOVA noted that their company manufactures conveyor equipment and equipment for sorting and processing products. This company runs a business in Poltava and come to develop Ukrainian business and help entrepreneurs. We supply equipment throughout Ukraine and abroad. It should be mentioned about our installation and providing service equipment in Azerbaijan. The advantage of participation in the conference lies in the fact that bringing together many people in one place to get to know the producers directly.

 

Oleksandr SHEIKO, director of the company "4 Stykhii" paid attention to the peculiarities of the equipment for storing fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, digital solutions for the apple orchard from "Pixofarm" were presented by Alexandru Chirtoca, the head of the Moldovan company NERDICA SRL. At the end of the speech, the speaker expressed support for Ukraine during this hard wartime and assured his support in the fight against the Russian enemy.

 

One more crucial issue, in particular, agricultural product certification was raised at the conference.

Ihor CHECHITKO, a specialist in standard implementation, made a general review of agricultural product certification systems in Europe. According to the speaker, product safety consumption is the main trend in European countries. But this includes voluntary-mandatory standards a large number of requirements... and producers need to figure out these requirements and optimize their implementation. 

 

Oleg DEMCHUK, the head of the board of the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance, and co-founder of MAK DNISTER1362 and Podillia Fashion Cluster, paid attention to another actual topic. Thus, the speaker told the participants about clustering as an effective tool for small and medium-sized business development.

 

It should be noted that the director of the company Rosetta Agro, and co-organizer of the Horticultural Cluster “Stiyka Ukraina”, Valeriy LYSHYNSKY told the participants about the real experience and perspective, in particular, about the horticultural cluster of the Dutch companies “Stiyka Ukraina.” It`s an independent and open platform for Dutch fruit and vegetable suppliers, especially for producers of planting material, products or equipment, suppliers, technology, logistics, retail, service, and processing. Thus, the vision of the horticultural cluster “Stiyka Ukraina” is based on sustainable and ecological development management methods for healthy and safe product production and reducing the negative impact on the environment. The horticultural cluster`s “Stiyka Ukraina” mission is to provide prospects for Ukrainian and Dutch colleagues in horticulture and vegetable growing by developing new types of activities, exchanging knowledge and technologies, and improving access to each other`s markets. Thus, the cluster organizes specialized webinars, carries out field days at a demo field located in the Kyiv region, and also looks for ways of fundraising. As a consequence, the horticultural cluster will become a platform for market inventory and informing the Dutch sector about the current situation in fruit and vegetable growing in Ukraine. At the same time, the platform will combine the supply and demand of Ukrainian and Dutch entrepreneurs in this sector.

 

 

The conference organizers of the media group "Technologies and Innovations" are grateful for the long-time partnership with our partner Serhiy Novosad for assistance in organizing the conference. We value cooperation with reliable partners! We hope for further tight cooperation in preparing our future conferences.

 

 

One more crucial conference topic is the successful development of the nut business. Thus, the speakers represented different regions and shared their experiences in the cultivation of hazelnuts, almonds, and short-fruited walnut.

 

How to build and run a profitable hazelnut-growing business was told by the representative of the Romanian company Corylus Est Elio Ressia. And, this company is represented in Ukraine by the well-known company "EFT Plus".

 

How to grow hazelnuts on a trellis and which varieties are suitable for intensive cultivation was told by Ihor TSYBENKO, the head of the nut nursery "Batkiv Sad." On top of that, Ihor TSYBENKO paid attention to how properly carry out cyclic hazelnut pruning. He noted that cyclical pruning is needed to begin after the third growing season in the orchard. Thanks to cyclic pruning, overgrown branches on the axis will be 1, 2, and 3 years old.  It means that a third part of the one-year branches that grow in the current season, another third of the branches of the second year of vegetation which already brings the harvest, and a third of the branches of the third year of vegetation, give the maximum harvest and are removed to a ring during pruning in wintertime. One-year shoots grow in certain removed places of branches in the next season, and the cycle repeats. Such type of pruning keeps the orchard in a productive state and the plane trellis in given sizes.

 

Lyubomyr STELMASCHUK, an agronomist of the company "Eko Yagoda" shared his experience of growing almonds in western Ukraine. Volodymyr BALABAN, a post-graduate student, researcher of the Department of Introduction and Selection of Rare Fruit, Decorative and Aromatic Plants of the Institute of Climate-Oriented Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine told participants about the peculiarities and prospects of almond cultivation in the southen part of Ukraine. According to Volodymyr Balaban, the creation of industrial high-intensity almond orchards get used to dry, hot and waterless summers is today`s one of the real ways to diversify agriculture in conditions of a changing climate, especially for southern regions of Ukraine.

 

 

In particular, the speaker told that varieties of sweet almonds are propagated mainly by inoculation method of the bitter-seeded variety of common almonds. Seeds are sown in the first field of the seedling. Non-stratified seeds are sown in November-January. Before spring sowing, it must be stratified for 30-50 days at a temperature of 0-10 °C. Sowing rate is 250-500 kg/ha. To strengthen the branching of the root system, when the seedlings reach a height of 10-12 cm, as rule,  the roots must be cut with specific staples at a depth of 10-15 cm. Instead of regular cultivation of grain or wonted industrial crops, we should bring orchards with profitable drought-resistant crops, one of which is almonds.

 

The plant breeder Vyacheslav Franzishko shared the experience of growing early-fruiting walnuts using the example of the farm "Demetra 2010".

 

Each speaker told us about their own experience and gave examples of successful problem-solving, advice, and dosing schedules. Conference participants not only got answers to their questions but received step-by-step instructions on how to create a successful nut business and steadily develop it.

 

 

 

 

At the end of the conference, a charity auction took place with the support of the Charitable Foundation "Strong and Free". Raffle lots included partner companies` products: "EFT Plus", "EKOORGANIK", "Makita Ukraine", cooperative "Yagidny Rai", "Summit-Agro Ukraine", "Makosh", Zhydachiv pulp and paperboard plant, "Bayer Ukraine", farm "Valentуna", "Konsort", "Koblevo", "Korets-sad", Zelenytsi Winery, "UPL Ukraine", "BTU-CENTER", "4 Stykhii", "Strong Distillery", and "Faina Guralnya". At the same time, certificates for the subscription of a set of journals from the media group "Technologies and Innovations" were raffled during the charity auction.  

 

 

Tetiana Smirnova, the founder of the Charitable Foundation "Strong and Free" noted that all received funds will be used for two good causes at once. First, we partially cover the costs of car repairs for our soldiers. Secondly, gas cylinders and stoves will be purchased for Oleksandr Dmytrash`s unit. Thus, from small deeds come great feats on the way to our victory! Everything will be Ukraine!

 

 

Among the conference participants were many who have a rich experience in the horticulture sector, in particular, in the cultivation of apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, sweet cherries, cherries, etc. So, for example, Oleksandr MATSENKO, head of the Matsenko Family Intensive Nursery, told us about the secrets of effective sweet cherry pollination.

 

Ivan YARMOLYUK, the head of the farm "Vidrodzhennya", told participants about the up-to-date stone fruit orchard from A to Z, in addition to the separation from traditional technologies, as well as the types of crown formations, planting schemes, etc. According to the speaker, sweet cherries are very popular in the world and, at the same time, very difficult to grow in the so-called modern intensive type orchards despite a wide variety of new rootstocks of different growth strengths, as well as new varieties, mostly self-fertile and high quality. So, for today, the most common successful commercial systems of growing sweet cherry in the world are: Kym Green Bush (KGB), Spanish Bush (SB), Steep Leader (SL), Super Slender Ax (SSA), Tall Spindle Ax (TSA), Upright Fruiting Offshoots (UFO), Upright Fruiting Offshoots “Y” Trellis (UFO-Y) and Vogel Central Leader (VCL). Each of these systems has its advantages and limitations. Thus, Ivan Yarmolyuk noted that a reasoned choice of the sweet cherry cultivation system depends on the farm`s capabilities, soil and climatic conditions. 

 

Helping advice on how to create a successful pear orchard was given by Maksym Zaritskyi, the founder of GAC Group. Inna Semerog, co-founder of the farm "Valentina" told on how to build a powerful business without relying on state support programs.

 

A discussion panel on "Situation in Ukrainian Horticulture. State Support. Learning to win!" took place during the conference. Maria DIDUKH, coordinator of the group on issues implementation of agricultural supporting programs presented mechanisms for implementing the procedure for providing grants for the creation or development of horticulture, berry growing, and viticulture. And,  Serhiy Ukrainets shared his practical experience of receiving and implementing grant programs.

 

 

On the second day, June 2, a business tour took place to the leading horticultural farms of the Chernivtsi region - "Makosad" and "Gold Romi." The main fruit at the farm "Gold Romi" is apples of the varieties: Gala Schniga, Schniga Red, Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji, and Golden, which are grown on the M9 rootstock. Moreover, business tour participants also visited a pear orchard. The farm grows export-oriented crops that are supplied to the markets of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Sweden, and the Arab Emirates.

 

Oleksandr MYGALATYUK, the deputy director of the farm "Gold Romi" also told us about his experience in creating a powerful business and answered the participants` questions. A Spinazzè trellis is installed in the orchard. The farm grows plums only for two years, and the orchard is not yet covered with a special net. Drip irrigation systems are equipped in all orchards from the company Netafim.

 

Denys KOVALCHUK, the regional manager of the company "MAKITA Ukraine," presented the innovative Makita DUP361 battery secateurs from Makita Ukraine in the "Gold Romi" orchard. Its main advantage is that one battery sector replaces the work of 3-6 workers through its rechargeable capability, and all the load is directed to the tool, the worker`s hand does not get tired during its use, and the cutting speed increases by 3-6 times. So, it gives the possibility to save our time or involve significantly fewer workers in pruning. The manufacturer declares that the maximum diameter of the branches that these secateurs can cut is 33 millimeters, and it can be used to cut not only high -bush blueberries but also raspberries, currants, apple trees, and other fruit or berry crops.

 

After that, all participants moved to the farm "Makosad." The farm owner Leonid MAKARENKO personally met us. It should be noted, that welcome speeches were delivered by Inna VOVCHUK, head of the department of agro-industrial development of the Chernivtsi regional state administration (regional military administration), and Bohdan BOYCHUK, head of the agro-industrial production department of the agro-industrial development department of the Chernivtsi regional state administration. After that, a tour of the own orchard was carried out by the head of the family business, Vladyslav MAKARENKO, who told us how to build a successful business for the cultivation of stone and pome fruits. "Makosad" is a high-tech farm that includes an anti-hail system from the company "Artes Polytechnika Ukraine." Plantations are equipped with a drip irrigation system from the company "Eucalipt P." The grower/channel manager for the protection of specific crops of the company "Bayer Ukraine" Ihor TARUSHKIN got acquainted participants on how properly ensures effective orchard protection. Moreover, participants also discussed the pollination of fruits.