The Governor of the Kostroma Region Sergey Sitnikov discussed the course of the harvesting campaign and the prospects for the development of agricultural production with the leaders of Mechta LLC in the Kostroma District.
The farm is engaged in the production of potatoes and vegetables, including supplies to social institutions. Company - participant of the advance payment program introduced by the decision of the governor Sergei Sitnikov. The support of the region allows OOO Mechta to develop actively. Last year alone, the Kostroma Region allocated 22 million rubles to help this farm.
With the support of the Kostroma region, over the past five years, the farm has acquired more than 30 units of equipment, which allows not only increasing volumes, but also improving the quality of products.
“We have increased the area of production by almost 15 percent. Accordingly, the power supply was also increased. We introduce precision farming technologies. Our tractors are equipped with satellite navigation, which allows the equipment to independently move around the field, cut boletus, hill up, fertilize, treat pests with maximum accuracy, without any overdose. All this data is stored in the system, so that later the agronomist can analyze and make adjustments if necessary. As a result, the quality of products is growing,” said Stepan Lazutin, Executive Director of Mechta LLC.
Experts note that thanks to the effective support measures that agricultural producers of the Kostroma region receive, they have the opportunity to successfully develop. Assistance to farmers in expanding sales markets is also an important area, Governor Sergei Sitnikov emphasized. It is necessary to consider the possibility of cooperation with the northern regions for the wholesale supply of potatoes and vegetables from the Kostroma region.
“We need to cooperate with regions that are able to purchase our products. First of all, the northern regions - Arkhangelsk, Murmansk region, where vegetable growing is not allowed, but there is an interest in preparing vegetables in advance. With such a high harvest as this year, an increase in volumes due to the expansion of sown areas, it is necessary to find new markets. We must look towards the north,” Sergei Sitnikov stressed.