Ready business plan.

Head of the farm Priozernaya-2010"shared with Zvyazda the secret of popularity among local old women, and also told why Kirkorov did not please him.

"Still can't get over the fact that I became a farmer"

"I hope you won't detain me for a long time? After all, I would also like to have time to go for fertilizer. Sowing season is just around the corner, time is running out." Thus began my acquaintance with Alexander Neiranovskiy- a person who knows firsthand that a spring day feeds a year.

Until recently, neither Alexander nor his soulmate Olga even thought about taking up farming. Accustomed to work from childhood, they busied themselves like bees on a personal plot. Until they felt it, it became a bit crowded on three hectares.

Today, the Neiranovskis have nothing less than 54 hectares of land. It is located in a neighboring village, which is two kilometers from the house. Immediately nearby, guarded by dogs, are three brick buildings, which the zealous owner adapted for storage.

Last year's cereals and buckwheat wintered here, - says Alexander. - Without storage facilities, a modern farmer will definitely have a hard time. Think for yourself: it's one thing to sell the crop for next to nothing immediately after harvesting, it's another to hold it and sell it for a lot more before sowing.

- Where do you get these buildings from?

Previously, collective farm bathhouses, a stable, a pigsty were located here ... But, as often happens, they were abandoned. The pigsty was demolished, and there was not enough money to demolish the rest of the buildings. Just look at the state they were in a year ago: the windows were smashed, the roofs were dismantled, wherever you look - weeds (shows photographs)! However, it was not so easy to redeem these useless buildings. Only the correspondence with the local economy, on the balance sheet of which they were, lasted about a year. The most interesting thing is that I lost not only much more time on paperwork, but also money than directly on the repair itself.

- And how quickly did you get the land?

The farm was registered in May 2010, the land was received only in the autumn. The first year was kind of a paper year. I had to knock on the thresholds of various instances, which, to be honest, I don’t like. If only you knew with what pleasure I got into the tractor after this paperwork! I'm a Swiss, and a reaper, and a player on the pipe, one might say. I do everything myself, because there is no way to hire people. One joy - the assistant is growing up: last year my son helped me a lot to harvest.

- Have you had any luck with the land? Many farmers complained that they were given the worst that only exists on the farms.

I asked the chairman of the local economy for the site on which I had my eye. But the head did not agree to give it entirely. As a result, he carved out 50% of good land, 50 - worse. Here at least from this put on (shows) last year I collected 11 trailers of stones. But it does get worse. I know a farmer, at whose request the chairman of another farm said: " As long as I live, not a single farmer will receive a hectare of land.". So it's a sin for me to complain.

- Alexander, what is the land for you? Many now do not grow anything on it or sow lawn grass.

Who is used to what. For the last 8 years (before becoming a farmer) I have been self-employed. He processed human cells with his technique. I had more than 60 regular clients during the season among local old ladies. They still can't get over the fact that I became a farmer. Like, "who will cultivate the land for us?". And why do I need farming, so much of that land? .. You have to feed the children, clothe, teach, eat and dress yourself. No wonder the earth has long been considered a breadwinner. Yes, and your own is your own, no one drives you, does not stand over your soul.

"In my harvester you can become a black man in an hour"

Near the house of the Neiranovskis there is a lot of various equipment. Most of which, according to the farmer, are 20-30 years old.

I came to farmers already technically “outfitted,” says Alexander. - I acquired the equipment gradually - from my hands, through advertisements. If something did not suit, I remade it for myself. I'm a turner and welder by trade.. Therefore, there were no difficulties with this. And here is my old one (leads me to a small combine harvester, covered from the rain with a tarpaulin. - N.D.). He is over 40 years old, but in terms of cleanliness of cleaning, he will outdo many younger cars.

One minus is that you have to work in the open sun, as the harvester has an unglazed cabin. An hour is enough to become a black man. So with such a combine, Alexander does not need any Crimea.

Own equipment, although old, is a big deal, says the farmer. - After all, if you rent the same combine or tractor, you will still be in debt. Or a farmer at one meeting "boasted" that he dragged a harrow with a motorcycle ... What's the point of doing farming at all then? At the same meeting, the former deputy minister said that we, farmers, work according to the old grandfather methods, on old equipment. He called to go to the Belagro exhibition. But what to go there: to see and lick your lips? It costs so much that it’s even scary to pronounce the amount out loud.. And the prices for it are constantly growing, in contrast to the prices for the same potato, which, despite the growth of the dollar, stand still.

As for the support for new farmers, according to the interlocutor, this is a problem. Especially now, when there is no money in the country.

- It is very difficult for a farmer without initial capital to get on his feet.. No one will give him a loan. I myself came to the bank last year, asked for only 10 million, gave seeds on bail. But they looked at me like that, as if I had fallen from the sky, they say, get out of here, we don’t know you. It would be great if the practice of giving young farmers a raise to help them get started would return.

True, last year Alexander still lucky: got a new tractor on lease. He does not even count on preferential loans for fuel. According to him, it is almost impossible to "knock out" something without connections.

Even writing out the forest is a problem. In the summer I applied, paid. And he waited his turn until autumn. Like, you need to provide your own first. I would like to believe that someday the attitude towards farmers will change.

"You won't be full with one song"

Another dream of Alexander is to wait for the day when the farmer's income will be comparable to the income of processors and merchandisers.

They are clean, warm, they will work for 8 hours - and go home. And they have more, due to the fact that they wind up the prices of products. And we spin like squirrels, almost 23 hours a day, we survive by increasing yields, reducing production costs. But there are also such operations on which it is impossible to save money, even if you wanted to. For example, if potatoes are not treated for phytophthora, then you will not get a crop.

The Neuranovskys grow many different crops: buckwheat, cabbage, and carrots... But priority is given to potatoes. "Second bread," Alexander admitted, is always on their table at home.

We will grow a new variety, and then we will taste it with the children, - says the farmer. - AND at the family council we decide whether to breed it or not. How many different varieties of potatoes we tried - you can’t tell. Either it does not have a species, or it is not stored, or the yield is low. As a result, we settled on four: two Belarusian and two foreign - German and Dutch. But the last variety decided to reduce, since the Dutch potato, although famous for its yield, contains little starch. Most Belarusians prefer mealy potatoes. Moreover, there are Belarusian varieties that are practically not inferior in terms of yield.

The farmer plans to sow several acres this season with new vaunted varieties of carrots. True, the Neuranovskys have already realized that catalogs are not very trustworthy.

Look at the picture - such a beautiful carrot! And as it grows, so at least shout the guard. You don’t know where to put carrots weighing more than a kilogram.

- Alexander, you mentioned at the beginning of our meeting that you like to go hunting in the winter. How do you spend your free time with your family?

Look at what season. In winter, we go skiing with children, I take them to the skating rink in Molodechno, where the Ice Palace was opened. If it's a church holiday, then it's not a sin to lie on the couch and read the newspaper. In spring, summer and autumn, all entertainment is on the field. In the hot season, there is no time to cross your legs. Every day is precious, every hour.

- What would you advise to those who, like you two years ago, thought about farming?

Don't wait for something to fall from the sky, but rely only on yourself and your strength. Maybe someday things will change, but for now.

He spoke about some global plans not too willingly. Most likely, he is of the opinion that if you want to make God laugh, then tell him about your plans. Nevertheless, he admitted that in the future he is thinking of doing animal husbandry, they say, this is a more profitable direction than vegetable growing. And a lot of waste remains from potatoes and grain. During the conversation, they also touched on current events taking place in the world, and talked about the WTO and Eurovision. " Kirkorov was invited to the final of Eurofest. They paid him that kind of money! And that's all budget funds. And so what: he sang - and the trace caught a cold. It would be better if they supported the farmer with those millions, who would have acquired good equipment and provided the Belarusians with vegetables to the eyeballs. After all, the song is not a secret, you will not be full".

In Belarus, farms do not develop, but survive, says economist, ex-adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Kazimir Romanovsky. He stated this BelaPAN, commenting on the data of Belstat, published in the collection "On the activities of peasant (farm) enterprises in the Republic of Belarus (2010-2016)".

Thus, according to official statistics, the number of registered farms is growing every year, albeit slightly: from 3017 in 2015 to 3066 in 2016. The number of employees in such farms also slightly increased - from 9200 to 9346.

Net profit increased from 518.9 billion non-denominated rubles to 64.1 million denominated. Return on sales decreased from 18.1% to 17.8%. The volume of production increased in 2016 by 14.6% against 3.3% in general for the agro-industrial complex. Investments decreased from 56.2 million rubles to 42 million. The number of unprofitable enterprises amounted to 11.7%.

In the structure of production, the cultivation of potatoes and vegetables occupies 56%, cereals - 11.6%, industrial crops - 3.9%, fruits and berries - 7.4%, other crop production - 10.3%, livestock and poultry - 7 .2%, milk production - 3%, eggs - 0.1%, other livestock products - 0.5%.

According to Romanovsky, there is no growth trend in the number of farms. “Some farms appear, some die. They have slightly increased, but it cannot be said that this is a development trend and that they play an important role in the country's agriculture. Their share in our economy is at the level of statistical error, and the state has nothing to do with this industry.”, - says the expert.

Regarding the decline in investment, he noted that this is due to the high cost of credit resources and the small amount of working capital from farmers. State support for the private sector of agriculture is also insignificant.

“Judging by the share of 1.9% in the gross agricultural production, this indicates that there are few farmers and almost no one needs this industry. If we talk about profitability of 18-20%, then it shows that peasant farms do not develop, but survive”, - says Romanovsky.

At the same time, he believes that the imbalance in development is caused by the fact that most farmers, due to the need for survival, are engaged in growing potatoes and vegetables, which brings a quick payback.

“We did not have and do not have a system to support farming and personal subsidiary plots. There are large farms that pull the entire industry. Farmers do not want to go into animal husbandry because it is, in principle, unprofitable and cannot survive without state support.”, - stressed the economist.

He gave an example: in 2000, 630,000 cows were kept in subsidiary farms, and 2,400 were kept by farmers, at the beginning of 2017, about 100,000 were left.

When asked what niche farmers could occupy in the country's agriculture, the expert answered: “Today there is an opportunity for development due to the high level of unemployment in the countryside. People, based on the needs of the market, could breed interesting breeds of birds (turkey, geese, ducks), goats, sheep, rabbits. It is also worth developing beekeeping. 3.4 thousand hives in farms is not enough. In Belarus, honey is popular among the population, but, unfortunately, about 80% of honey imported from abroad is fake. Gomel and Brest regions can grow gourds. Also develop horticulture and the cultivation of seedlings for farmsteads and cottages. We do not grow enough berries (currants, raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries and others). You can also take a niche in floriculture. It's time for us to finish feeding the flower mafia. To grow aromatic and medicinal herbs for the food industry and pharmacy. Under the supervision of scientific organizations to engage in the production of seeds of vegetables, berries and flowers for the population. It's big business and it's worth pushing Dutch seeds out of the market.".

“Farming has a future. But the state should be engaged in the development of programs for its development. A farmer, a peasant should know what the country needs today, and this should be included in the program. It is necessary to give them loans for development, and at 2%, and not at 30-40%. Support in every possible way", summed up the expert.

There are 35 registered peasant (farmer) households in Glubotchyna, almost a third of which have existed for more than 10 years. Someone grows berries, vegetables, seeds and seedlings, someone is engaged in breeding cattle, goats, sheep.

At the moment, the documents are drawn up by another owner. The names of many farmers are known in the region, as they not only develop their business, but also take an active part in the life of the region, popularize hard work on the land.

“It’s not an easy thing to be a farmer,” notes head of the peasant (farm) economy Sergey Kovalyonok. - The main thing is to be patient, to have the desire to achieve your goal. It is especially difficult at the beginning of the journey. It will not work “for show”; sometimes you have to work in the field from dawn to dusk. Every day and the ruble spent on the account.

The farm of the farmer Kovalyonok appeared on the map of the Glubokoe district in April 2010.

In 2014, the peasant (farm) economy of Sergei Kovalyonok was named the best in the region. For high achievements in fulfilling the forecast indicators of socio-economic development in 2015, it was entered on the Board of Honor of the Glubokoe District.

She is a biology teacher, he is a physical education teacher

Spouses Sergey and Victoria have a pedagogical education, they graduated from VSU named after P. Masherov. For some time they worked at the school, but one day they decided to radically change their lives.

“An example for us is the parents who, in addition to the garden plot, have been cultivating 2 hectares of land for many years, growing vegetables,” Victoria joins the conversation. – Of course, we helped them, including selling surplus products on the market. Why not try it yourself? Additional material support for young teachers, and by profession I am a biology teacher, and my husband is a physical education teacher, was not out of place at that moment.

To begin with, they took 2 hectares of land. After work, on weekends they worked in the field, the grown products were taken to the market. Soon they decided to create a farm.

– Being engaged in vegetable growing, we saved up money for the first tractor, – Victoria continues. - True, they bought it unassembled, and my husband assembled it himself. On a plot of 25 hectares, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, beets were grown, and they were supplied to wholesalers.

The building of the former grain warehouse of one of the agricultural enterprises was taken under the investment project

For the implementation of the investment project in 2012, Sergey Kovalyonok took the unused building of the former grain warehouse of one of the agricultural enterprises of the region. The building, next to which there is one of the plots of the farm, began to collapse, the roof was leaking.

The new owner made a large-scale reconstruction of the old building in three years, equipped compartments for storing vegetables, and installed heating. Three jobs were created for machine operators and a driver.

Thanks to Decree No. 6, spouses purchased agricultural machinery without customs clearance

Thanks to Decree No. 6 of the President of Belarus, the spouses purchased agricultural machinery and vehicles for transporting products without customs clearance.

– In 2014, we planted the first plantation of garden strawberries of five high-yielding varieties, – says Victoria. - At first they were sold at the local market. Soon we bought a car equipped with a refrigeration unit. In the season of harvesting berries, in order not to waste time, we additionally install a mobile refrigeration unit on the field. It's easier and more reliable that way. In addition to Belarus, we sell useful products in the Russian Federation. If there is a demand, then we also export vegetables. We work with wholesale buyers on request.

At the moment, the area of ​​farm land has exceeded 150 hectares. The plots are located in different parts of the region. 6 people help Sergey to cope with the work in the field. Actively, especially in the summer, 15-year-old son Vadim works with his parents.

“We try to minimize manual labor”

– We also attract seasonal workers, – says Victoria. - True, we try to minimize manual labor. We rely on the use of modern agricultural machinery. For example, there is a carrot harvester. In a mechanized way, we harvest beets and potatoes. This improves efficiency.

The local raipo suggested an interesting idea…

“At one time, we actively cooperated with the raipo, which prompted one interesting idea,” Sergey Kovalyonok notes. – It is impossible to grow and assemble the perfect product. For example, a head of cabbage can be damaged during harvesting or, if it ripens earlier, it can crack in the field. It is such products that we chopped and fermented. We carried out all the necessary checks before offering the novelty to customers. Demand in the area was good. The case is small - it is necessary to prepare documents, equip a mini-workshop for the mass production of sauerkraut and pickles.

Carrots on a farm are harvested by a combine, and this also does not exclude possible damage to vegetables. Therefore, the enterprising spouses plan to establish the production of carrots in Korean.

According to the head of the farm, the farmers of the Glubokoe region do not see each other as competitors, on the contrary, they often meet, share their experience and useful advice.

The republican, regional associations of farmers, the district executive committee help to solve many issues, get acquainted with useful information, including those related to the purchase of equipment.

Also with great interest Sergey and Victoria attend seminars organized by vegetable seed suppliers.

The farmer has four unpredictable "helpers"

A few years ago, the Belarusian Agricultural Academy organized trips to Holland, Poland, and Germany for heads of farms. The heads of peasant (farm) enterprises, among which was Sergey Kovalyonok, were also able to get acquainted with the best practices in the field of crop production.

- The farmer has four unpredictable "helpers": winter, spring, summer and autumn, - Sergei notes with a smile. - It can be very difficult to protect the harvest from the vagaries of the weather. We choose the most resistant varieties for planting, but this does not guarantee that everything will go according to plan. The early frosts in early autumn, as well as the fine contours of the fields, cause trouble. So you have to maneuver, make every effort and ingenuity to achieve the desired result.

Photo by Diana BERNIKOVICH.

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You need to choose a niche. Let's talk about meat farming. Firstly, the cost of meat in stores is very high, and secondly, the percentage of vegetarians in our country is small. All this guarantees profitability and stable demand for products. Of course, this type of farming requires a lot of investment, especially when it comes to raising cattle.

But the net profit of an average farm starts from 100 thousand rubles a month. With a competent approach, the payback period will not exceed six years. It will be cheaper to start a business in pig breeding, and the event will pay off in 2-5 years. At the same time, the demand for this product in our country is higher due to a more democratic cost than for beef. Another option is poultry farming. Eggs and chicken are the products that are always in the refrigerator of any of our compatriots. In addition, breeding birds does not require too much investment and space.

Payback can be approximately 2-4 years. Crop production is somewhat of a seasonal business. However, this does not apply, for example, to cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, strawberries. They can be grown all year round in greenhouses. Such a business will be especially profitable in winter, when the price of fresh vegetables increases significantly. Payback business 12-18 months. Farming: where to start, or Developing a business plan Once a niche has been identified, it is necessary to create a business plan. This moment is very important, because on its basis it is possible to calculate the costs of creating a farm, the payback period and profitability. To assess the prospects of the project, the following points must be indicated in the business plan: funds (whether it will be own or borrowed, what start-up capital is needed); land (you can get it for free, buy or rent); the cost of purchasing animals or crops; the cost of building structures (this is a barn for livestock or greenhouses for growing vegetables); equipment costs (eg manure removal system, milk pipeline, heating systems); personnel costs (even a relatively small farm will need it); utility costs, taxes; marketing costs; sales markets for products; net profit. All these points will help to calculate the profitability of the future business.

In general, a young entrepreneur needs to draw up a business plan according to the following scheme: summary (a brief description of future activities, farming and goals that the farmer is striving for); a detailed description of the economy (site area, availability of infrastructure, communications, facilities, equipment, etc., whether these resources are leased or owned); a summary of financial and production indicators (salaries of employees and their number, the planned number of manufactured and sold products, profit); financial section (sources of financing of the economy, expenses, plans for the development of the economy and their financial support, payback, profit calculation); risk analysis (forecasting risks and describing measures to eliminate them). Why does a business plan need to be drawn up according to a certain scheme and approach the event responsibly? Because it is a kind of visiting card of the future farmer: it is necessary to receive subsidies from the state, when looking for investors and other sources of financing. If the profitability of the business exceeds the possible risks, and this is clearly visible from the business plan, then the future farmer will be able to count on material support. Choosing the form of ownership: LLC or IP? The choice of the form of ownership is also an equally important stage. If a businessman decides to open a small farm, then registering as an individual entrepreneur will be quite enough. The undoubted advantages of this form of ownership are: simplified taxation system; there is no obligation to keep accounting; cash accounting is carried out according to a simplified system; it is not necessary to register a branch (if one is planned); no need to report on the origin of the equipment; no need to record decisions. At the initial stage, IP is certainly convenient. While there are not a large number of customers, while the business is only gaining momentum, you can take advantage of the privileges that an entrepreneur who is registered as an individual entrepreneur receives. However, this form also has disadvantages. The most significant of them is the difficulty in attracting investments and obtaining loans. If additional funds are needed to start a business, then such a shortcoming can play a key role. If you plan to open a large farm or the business has begun to gain momentum, you should consider registering an LLC. This form of ownership is taken more seriously in the market. There are no barriers to obtaining investment funds. But you will have to conduct a more extensive document flow and pay taxes according to the general taxation system. At the same time, if reporting can be done by a hired employee, then you can generally make a profit from taxes. For example, receive VAT deductions. In addition, being a payer of such a tax, the farm will be able to attract large partners who are also interested in receiving deductions.

How much do you need to invest to become a farmer? How can one not only get a harvest on Belarusian soil, but also be able to sell it at a profit? What risks are involved in the agricultural business? Read the story of Vladimir Krapivka's farming in the new issue of Posrednik.

The train noisily stops at the station - literally for a minute - and runs away with a hissing sound in the direction of Borisov. We are at the Krasnoye Znamya station in the Smolevichi district. From here we go to the village of Osovo, where the farm "Druzhba and Co" is located. The farm is managed by Vladimir Alexandrovich Krapivko, who, together with his wife Larisa Alekseevna, has been growing vegetables for ten years now.

From Don to Smolevich

Vladimir was born and raised in the Rostov region, in a small village near the Don River. He has a penchant for agricultural sciences from a young age: already in the 8th grade, he set up small experiments, trying to cross potatoes or determine how cultures interact with each other.

Fate decreed that, having gone to the army, the young guy ended up serving in Belarus, where he met his future wife Larisa. Since then, they have been together for 38 years.

After serving, Vladimir entered the All-Union Institute of Correspondence Education to study as an agronomist. In parallel, he began working on a collective farm - as a foreman. Then there was the work of the chief agronomist, and then the deputy chairman of one of the collective farms in the Smolevichi region. At the age of 35, Vladimir became the chairman of the collective farm. So he accumulated all his professional experience in one place.

"Everything was fine, - shares Vladimir, - but even working, as they say now, in a leadership position, as the chairman of a collective farm, I did not feel like a master. The earth does not like temporary workers, the earth loves the owner, and the chairman or other hired person is a temporary worker for the fields. Therefore, I always wanted to try my hand at crop production without instructions from above when, where and what to plant.

The farmer is the owner, he is not only a manager, but also an agronomist, foreman, accountant, security guard, driver and mechanic all rolled into one. You need to have an iron character in order to raise farming to at least zero profitability.

How to become a farmer

Ten years ago, in 2005, Vladimir decided to leave on his own bread. The main assistant then was a 28-year-old son, who graduated from BSU with a degree in economics. Today my son has his own business.

The first land allotment was only 80 hectares. Now the farm has more than 212 hectares of land. The first money that appeared from the sale of vegetables was invested back into circulation. The proceeds received were only enough for the next year's sowing campaign, because during the winter inflation ate up all the profits. But the excitement and perseverance, says Vladimir, forced to develop further.

In order to open our own business, we left all our crops, which we took from the subsidiary farm for seeds, plus we invested about 15-20 thousand dollars of our own savings in seeds, fertilizers, and equipment rental.

The investment was returned after about three years.

A novice farmer has enough difficulties.

Firstly, banks are always very wary of farming as a high-risk business with little profit. However, the farm "Druzhba and K" has established itself as a serious approach to business, revenue volumes, the number of contracts for the supply of products and other indicators by which the organization's solvency is assessed. This made it possible, three years after the opening, to apply to the bank with a request to open a credit line, as well as to arrange agricultural machinery for leasing. The expansion allowed farming to reach a new level: take more land for cultivation, speed up harvesting, reduce production costs.

Secondly, the farmer assumes all the risks of growing: from the time of planting to the time of harvest. At the same time, many nuances must be taken into account: top dressing, weeding, the right seed materials, etc. But the result is not long in coming. Vladimir's productivity is 3-4 times higher than that of the neighboring collective farm.

Thirdly, the land received is far from being the best. "Collective farm lands are always better, - the farmer says - after all, no one wants to give a fertile plot to a private owner. They give away “heavy” areas with sandstone, mountainous, flooded or, as happened last year, surrounded on three sides by summer cottages.

The Smolevichi District Executive Committee is considering an application for the allocation of land for farming.

Fourth, theft. During the ripening period of the potato crop, losses from it are measured in tons. “And it’s almost impossible to do anything, - the farmer is distressed. - To hire the same watchman means to increase the cost of the product, the farmer cannot always afford it. The application to the police and patrolling does not bring good results. In terms of costs, it is more profitable to steal “for themselves” than to hire a watchman. Naturally, when they are digging with bags, the farm will definitely not see the profit. But sometimes you have to be on duty in the field, otherwise dishonest citizens will “help” harvest the crop to the last potato.”

Grow - not sell yet

But getting a harvest is only half the battle. Another question is how to save and sell the goods. After all, prices for vegetables are seasonal.

So, in the past 2014, the cabbage harvest in Belarus was small, and in Russia, on the contrary, there was an overabundance. “It turned out that we didn’t bring culture to them, but they brought it to us,” says Vladimir. - And sometimes there is a situation that it is easier to bury everything or give it away for nothing than to sell it. The market is very cruel to farmers.”

But the main buyers of "Druzhba and Co" are the nearby military units, schools, camps, boarding schools and retail outlets. Last year, more than 400 tons of potatoes were shipped by the farm to Borisov, Smolevichi, Zhodino and Minsk. And there are onions, carrots, beets, tomatoes.

Selling vegetables is a separate science. Today Vladimir has established contacts with many enterprises and shops. But I had to start with the sale of potatoes from the car, with a detour of shops and catering outlets to offer their goods. The efforts have borne fruit: the partners see Druzhba & Co as a reliable supplier.

As for the price, in contrast to the collective farms, where the order comes down from above, the farmer sets it himself. At the same time, due to competition, it is sometimes necessary to sell and change the price even against the will and below cost.

Labor and production resources

The farm has its own gas station, a box for storing equipment, and a number of greenhouses. Everything needs to be looked after, everything requires work.

Two or three dozen people work here all the time. But during the harvest, weeding or sowing period, Vladimir is happy with every additional hand - these are schoolchildren, and the military, and local residents. The farmer is ready to give everyone a job and adequately pay for it - some with money, some with products. Up to 200 thousand rubles can go out per day with a bonus in the form of vegetables.

“There are only a few intelligent workers, and engineers, agronomists, equipment repairmen are generally piece goods, especially if they don’t drink”, - Vladimir admits.

But the main helpers are the family: wife, daughter and son. The daughter also followed in the footsteps of her parents. Today she is engaged in scientific work in the field of growing melons in Belarus and is already published in magazines. The wife used to work on a collective farm, but after the opening of the farm, she began to help her husband.

“Now my son has decided to separate himself and started growing various spice crops for delivery to the country’s retail chain,” says Vladimir. - Purchased equipment for 40 million euros for packing and freezing herbs: parsley, onion, dill, basil.

To be honest, this is not a business for me, even though he is already doing better than me. There is a lot of fuss, work with a retail network, and the packaging of greens turns out to be more expensive than the seasoning itself. But he likes it. Our business is growing."

Vladimir gave us a tour of the farm.

Potato harvester - one of the main assistants in harvesting, was leased a few years ago.

The future of the farm - an equation with many unknowns

“Making plans is a thankless task, but there are thoughts about expanding the landing area”, Vladimir admits.

The issue of development rests on the ground. If the local authorities give allotments, then we can think about sheep breeding. Vladimir chose this area for a reason: firstly, high profitability; secondly, this is one of the simple livestock breeding areas; thirdly, he has experience in farming, which can be developed to an industrial scale.

Any occupation can be profitable if you approach it with your head and hands.

The profitability of the farm today is up to 30%, depending on the crop and season, as well as His Majesty Chance. For example, when fires raged in Russia a few years ago, vegetables in Belarus were bought at unimaginable prices - $500 per ton of cabbage, ten times more than the usual price. But this doesn't happen often.

Another pressing issue is the labor force. They are sorely lacking, even though the farm is assisted even by the labor exchange, which provides workers.

There is nowhere to retreat. The business is difficult, low-profit (for example, the same rabbit breeding can be three to four times more profitable than vegetable growing), but interesting, and most importantly, beloved. Therefore, all plans are only for expansion.