As you sow, so shall you reap.

Probably, such a special supplement should have been published a long time ago. Because both the successes and the problems of the agricultural sector did not appear yesterday either. But the stars aligned in such a way that it happened only now. The main thing is that it did happen.

The task of the special supplement “Agro 2012,” at first glance, is very simple—to tell the reader (consumer) about Sumy region’s farmers and processors, about the products that are grown and produced here, in Sumy region. Moreover, we want to tell about them in such a way that when you come to a shop or a market, you will feel the desire to give preference to exactly these products. Why? Everything is very simple. First, the products of our producers are environmentally friendly. Second, they provide jobs to residents of Sumy region, which means that the success of their products determines the well-being of many families. Third, they pay taxes here, at home, which means that social payments and programs depend on the success of Sumy enterprises. Fourth, after all, these are our enterprises, created on our Sumy land, and I am sure that the vast majority of people are always pleased to see that we also know how to do things and are capable of it. More precisely, we have not forgotten how, and many enterprises have added new technologies to the centuries-old experience of our ancestors.

In addition, many agricultural companies do not simply operate in the territories, but try to integrate and bear social responsibility—in other words, to be useful in charitable activities or simply be ready to always lend a helping hand to rural communities. And this is also good, and this also needs to be encouraged.

However, there are countless problems in the agricultural sector today as well. We do not try to answer the global question of our time, “How to save the countryside from extinction?”—a newspaper cannot save it—but we are simply obliged to discuss the problems of local brands which, for example, with the complete connivance of local authorities, are being pushed to the margins by retail chains. Perhaps the regional administration will respond properly to this, although it cannot be said that they are unaware of the situation. They are aware—very much so: the interviews published in this issue show us that the authorities are fully informed.

So what is the matter then? Why does the agricultural sector, despite good harvests and fertile soil, cause us such concern? Why are we being increasingly imposed with products that are not only unsuitable for human consumption, but even for animals?
It seems to us that this could be a very interesting discussion. We will certainly continue it in our next issues of “Agro 2012” (there will be at least two more). Join us—the discussion is about our very near future.

Yevhenii Polozhii

Agrarian Sumy Region

The hero of the sparkling Soviet comedy “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession” persistently advised: “Keep your money in a savings bank.” We, in turn, will give another useful piece of advice: “Invest your money in agriculture in Sumy region!”

You are holding in your hands the second special issue of “Agro-2012,” prepared by the newspaper “Panorama.” Fertile fields, large dairy farms, ultra-modern vegetable irrigation systems, production of high-quality food products—all this, dear readers, you will be able to read about on the pages of this supplement. What is important is that the listed agricultural production is located near us and works for our common good. As a result, on the shelves of local supermarkets, small shops, and markets, we buy high-quality mayonnaise and sunflower oil made in Bezdrik, fresh potatoes and vegetables grown in Nedryhailiv district, and sweet sugar produced in Bilopillia district. Local budgets are replenished with taxes, which are used to build new roads, supply electricity to remote settlements, and renovate rural schools and kindergartens. Of course, Sumy villages are still far from similar settlements in Germany or the Netherlands, where gigantic automated farms are managed by just a few farmers and every village has restaurants, shops, and cinemas. But we have something to strive for. And most importantly, there are people who want to work in the countryside and know how to do it.

Thus, the experience of the “Yaroslavna” cooperative of the Putyvl district is planned by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to be spread throughout Ukraine. On July 16, the director of the cooperative, Valerii Volkov, spoke at a meeting in the Sumy Regional State Administration chaired by the Minister of Agrarian Policy, Mykola Prysiazhniuk, where he talked about the work of the giant cooperative that cooperates with 49 village councils. “For example, in New Zealand there is only one cooperative, in Australia—three cooperatives. We should also create one cooperative in Sumy region,” Valerii Volkov believes. Having listened to the speaker, the Minister of Agrarian Policy stated that, after consulting with Governor Yurii Chmyr, he decided to create a “pilot project” based on “Yaroslavna.” A ministerial delegation will visit it, and then farmers of Ukraine will be shown, using the example of “Yaroslavna,” what motivation there is to join cooperatives and what assistance village councils receive from this.

In 2012, the construction of 91 new agricultural facilities worth 0.5 billion UAH is planned in Sumy region. These include 36 livestock complexes (89 million UAH), 24 food industry facilities (39 million UAH), and 31 agricultural market infrastructure facilities (346 million UAH). Many powerful investment companies are already operating in Sumy region, ready to invest millions in the fertile local black soils.

Local producers also have something to be proud of. For example, the “Romny Food Products Plant,” under the leadership of Oleksandr Saienko, produces more than 100 types of confectionery—the Romny marshmallow is widely known far beyond our region. Agrobusiness TSK company of Hennadii Svirskyi has built an irrigation system in the Nedryhailiv district that allows efficient vegetable cultivation on an area of 300 hectares. New vegetable storage facilities are already being built there to supply Sumy residents with vegetables in winter. In addition, Agrobusiness TSK uses unique machinery—a four-row potato harvester that has no analogues in Ukraine.

Other large and small local agricultural enterprises are developing at a rapid pace. In January, in the Shostka district, the company “UGAK” completed the reconstruction of a dairy farm for 200 head and launched a milk pipeline. In March, in the Hlukhiv district, the company “Yastrubshchanske” carried out technical re-equipment of a facility for 180 cows and also launched a milk pipeline. In May, the enterprise “Raiz-Maksymko” launched two milk pipelines in the Romny and Buryn districts and completed a complex for 250 head. In the Krasnopillia district, LLC “Riasnianske” is reconstructing a pig breeding complex. In the Sumy district, “Raiz” is completing the construction of the third stage of an elevator with a capacity of 180 thousand tons worth 35 million UAH. In the Hlukhiv district, LLC “Shalyhynske” is completing the construction of the first stage of a drying complex with a capacity of 40 thousand tons worth 20 million UAH. In the Konotop district, LLC “Vitchyzna” is building the second stage of an elevator with a capacity of 15 thousand tons, and LLC “Kozatske” is launching a drying complex worth 6 million UAH.

Dozens of such examples can be cited across all districts of Sumy region. More details about the further development of the agro-industrial complex of Sumy region can be found on page eight in a large interview with Head of the Main Department of the Agro-Industrial Complex Volodymyr Ivchenko.

We thank all our partners for their cooperation and hope that all the planned initiatives of Sumy region’s farmers will be implemented. After all, there are all the necessary components for this.