In the village of Ozhyany, located in Rivne Oblast, a new mini factory for freezing berries has started operations on the site of a once-abandoned fruit processing plant. This enterprise aims to process up to 140 tons of products annually, grown in accordance with high environmental standards. A total of 300 hectares of land have already been prepared for planting strawberries, raspberries, and currants.
This is reported by Finway
The establishment of this mini factory was made possible by the Organic Trade for Development (OT4D) project, which is being implemented in Rivne Oblast with the support of Switzerland. The facility will employ 20 workers, contributing to the development of the local economy.
Threat to the Harvest in Ukraine
However, despite this positive news, this year’s harvest of berries and fruits in Ukraine is under threat. Several waves of spring frosts have negatively impacted even the cold-resistant orchards, particularly apple and pear trees. The highest number of complaints about potential harvest losses has come from Vinnytsia, which is considered the capital of fruit growing in Ukraine.
Expectations for the Harvest
Due to these natural conditions, it is likely that the overall production of stone fruits, such as cherries, peaches, nectarines, and apricots, in Ukraine will be relatively low. A decrease in the harvest of summer varieties of raspberries is also expected, while blueberries, according to preliminary data, have not been affected. As for apples, there is currently no reason to believe that their harvest will significantly decrease.