As in Ukraine grow strawberries in greenhouses

In his 31th year, Vladimir Rozhko has more than ten years of experience in a greenhouse. His case grew out of a small greenhouse on the plot of parents to 1 ha. The business had to be left in the occupied territory in the Kherson region.

After the Great War, the farmer started agrarian business in Kryvorizhzhia. In the fourth year of the war, his company Greenwewishn LLC grows products and installed greenhouses not only in Ukraine but also in Moldova.

From the editorial board. Small and medium -sized businesses generate more than half of the economy. Its representatives cannot lobby for their own interests, as big business does, but they always adapt to the conditions and find new ways to develop.

The EP shares the principles that entrepreneurs are guided by the pursuit of growth, so the editorial is shared by their interesting stories. These stories are not about stunning success and great fortune. These stories on how Ukrainians are developing, working on their own, working, and shared with experience.

Win the lottery with the weather

Ambassador of greenhouses – so you can say about the roof. He is convinced that the future is by this type of cultivation. With the current climatic changes in open ground, it is increasingly similar to the lottery, which is played with farmers.

Whether domestic products wins compared to cheaper imports, the farmer explains the example of strawberries, which is now collected in the greenhouses of his company. In early May, his company sold this berry in wholesale markets for 200-220 UAH per kg, and near the Greek at 170 UAH per kg.

However, according to the entrepreneur, manufacturers of quality products compete with imports despite the difference in prices. « We manage to sell products at our price, because our berries are better, delicious. When the price is seasonally falling to 110-120 UAH per kilogram, then Greek strawberries will simply not be imported into Ukraine-unprofitable.

Prices for vegetables after reducing supplies from Kherson region are high. « Growing vegetables profitably, even though they need heating. This starts doing many people, including for grant programs. Whatever imports, vegetables are now favorable, if you know how to grow them, « says the agrarian.

Before the Great War, he mainly grown tomatoes, strawberries and grapes. The farmer chose the cultural ratio to harvest several times a year and have a stable income. In parallel, he earned on the installation of greenhouses for farmers. Three brigades were engaged in installation and the queue for this service was half a year ahead.

Since the greenhouse can control the climate, this business-mechanism seemed to be well-established and capable of working under all conditions. However, the Great War began. The village of Dnipro in Kherson region, where the production capacities of the corn were on the front line. « Everything remained there. Only the only replaced was taken out.

The first year of the Great War Vladimir and his family were uncertainty. Hope for the end of the war and return to Kherson region has not yet come true.

In 2023, they began to return to work, but already in Kryvorizhzh, where one of the partners lives. They recruited the team, rented the shop and began to order greenhouses. The company attracted the micro -grant of UAH 250 thousand to purchase equipment, which was enough for only 15% of the necessary equipment.

Gradually purchased the necessary. Six people now work for the entrepreneur. Before the war, the team that installed greenhouses consisted of 14 employees.

The process of gathering a greenhouse

To search for clients, Vladimir began to share the experience of greenhouse business on social networks. « I have 44,000 subscribers on Instagram on Instagram, 14 thousand in Tiktok. Inquiries from Moldova began to come. I came, met, made the first agreements. Moldavian farmers look at Ukrainian experience, look at the rollers of our farmers, they are a little behind, » he explains.

In Ukraine, the company is building greenhouses for farmers from different regions, but most orders come from Kyiv and Odesa region. Production and installation of galvanized greenhouse at 500 square meters. m costs 320 thousand UAH, with heating – twice as expensive. During the month, the team can erect four to five greenhouses if it is an order at different points in the country, or eight to ten, if in one location.

« The market is quite competitive. There are three to five companies with which we compete, but work is enough-everyone has an order, »-says the head of the agricultural enterprise.

Greenhouse business has no seasonality. It is possible to build a greenhouse in winter for growing radishes, in 40-50 days to harvest the first crop and profit. For berries they are equipped in the summer, and in the fall are installed vegetable greenhouses.

The process of planting in a greenhouse

If you do not consider the cost of buying a site, the greenhouse may pay off in two years. It depends on a number of factors. For example, electricity account may vary depending on the region, weather and chosen culture. « Plus experience. It is easier for professional farmers to avoid mistakes. Others are just beginning, so payback and prospects for earnings are significantly different, » the agrarian explains.

Tomatoes and strawberries

During the year, the expenses for the business cork for the construction of greenhouses have paid off and the direction became profitable. In the spring of 2024, his company purchased a plot in Kryvyi Rih for $ 20,000. And she built half a hectares of her own greenhouses: one for tomatoes, two – for strawberries, as well as separate for seedlings. In the fall they received the first harvest of tomatoes, in the winter growing dill and spinach, and now the collection of strawberries.

Water was brought to the site from the city water supply, but such watering is too expensive. In addition, after blasting the Russians of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, the quality of water in the region has deteriorated. The farmer plans to spend UAH 700-800 thousand on his own well more than 150 m.

The harvest of strawberries

Demand for strawberries is always stable, says the entrepreneur, but the quality of water is critical to it. Because of this, new approaches to plant nutrition had to be developed. Now the first strawberry crop is harvested: every two days get 100-200 kg. Tomatoes and cucumbers are « loyal » to water with a high content of salts and metals.

Starting from scratch farm in the new region means experimenting, so in the fall of 2024 the entrepreneur planted three varieties of tomatoes for the experiment to find the most suitable for the area.

« The best manifested variety of pink tomato » Pink Hit « , while others, although positioned as high -yielding, have not come for our region. Now 10 thousand shrubs are growing in the greenhouse and in June we expect the first not experimental, but a normal harvest, » – he concludes Rozhko.

Tomato bushes in greenhouses

The company plans to get from a greenhouse at 400 square meters. m 30-50 tons of premium tomatoes. The experimental harvest in the fall of 2024 brought 20 tons of tomatoes.

Instaphermer

Rozhko with nostalgia speaks of Kherson region. Until 2022, he was not thought of how developed the agrarian direction of the region was. This understanding came only after moving when he started working in different corners of Ukraine.

« Within the Kherson region we had » at hand « everything necessary for growing. It was not necessary to go anywhere. Now this or that drug needs to be sought throughout Ukraine. This increases the cost of logistics and takes time, » the farmer says.

Root can be found on several social networks. He gradually turned ordinary marketing into a new profit channel.

« Put yourself in my place: you had a business for which you have built a complex of greenhouses, wealth: a house, a good car, a certain standard of living. At one point, nothing left. It was necessary to make a living. I started to lead social networks about what I know – about agribusiness.

Vladimir Rozhko

The farmer can order agrarian support for 16 thousand UAH per month. It is in demand, because there are many technical details in the greenhouse business.

« They recently installed a greenhouse for a 19-year-old boy and he ordered agricultural support. I teach him to grow strawberries. Usually customers from 30 to 50 years. Sometimes these are those who have previously worked on open ground and realized that these are already extreme conditions for growing, » the agrarian said.

Rozhko convinces that the information business is engaged without assistance and perceives it as a hobby. However, such a hobby expands the audience.

All photos: Vladimir Rozhko