Orchard Growers Association Helps Members Expand Sales From Local Markets to Supermarket
Assisted by Agricultural Marketing Project, an Association member Mykola Olijnyk, finds new marketing possibilities and sells 82 tons of apples to Cherkasy supermarkets.
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| Photo: Robert Lee, AMP Chief of Party planting seedlings with Mykola Olijnyk. |
Many of small farmers growing apples in the Cherkasy oblast are new to this business and try hard to overcome obstacles in implementing new intensive technologies for growing and marketing their apples. The Association of Intensive Orchard Growers in Cherkasy oblast united amateur orchard growers, farmers and scientists including the Head of the fruit-growing faculty of the Uman State Agrarian University.
AMP is supporting the activities of the existing Association of Intensive Orchard Growers in Cherkasy oblast by providing assistance in developing progressive technologies for growing and storing fruit as well as in learning more about marketing techniques. It also focuses on improving the marketing chains connecting farmers to the final consumer.
Mykola Olijnyk, a member of the Association, has established a close working relationship with AMP’s Cherkasy office since the inception of his the Apple Orchard farm. With assistance from AMP/USAID, Mr. Olijnyk participated in an educational trip to the U.S., where he observed local orchard growing and marketing techniques as demonstrated by California farmers. He has also studied the experience of European countries, particularly Holland, and maintains contacts with the fruit-growing faculty of the Uman State Agrarian University
With the assistance of his family and hired labor, Mr. Olijnyk maintains the orchard and seedling production on 5.25 ha. The basic apple varieties produced are Golden Delicious, Johnny Gold, Red Delicious, Ida Red and Champion. This year he hopes to harvest the same amount as last year - 50 tons per hectare. He also constructed a cold-storage facility on the farm that permits to hold 100 tons for the late season and winter sale.
In Cherkasy oblast, Mr. Olijnyk is viewed as a leader in implementing intensive technologies of apple-growing and disseminating the best accomplishments of other countries. He has been a strong supporter of AMP’s work and is a leader in the Orchard Industry of Ukraine. On September 22, AMP held a seminar for orchard growers based on the experience of Mr. Olijnyk’s farm. Modern Technologies of Apple Growing and Marketing seminar was attended by guests from Russia and Moldova, directors of UkrVinProm corporation of Ukraine as well as a post-harvest handling specialist from Califonia.
There were times when Mr.Olijnyk sold his apples at the local fresh market. With AMP help, he has established contacts with supermarkets in both Cherkasy and Kyiv. In the beginning, supermarket managers were suspicious of his apples and only took 15 to 20 kilos as a trial batch. Now supermarket purchasing managers are looking to set up permanent working relationships with Mr. Olijnyk and propose to develop supply contracts for the future. The relationship with the supermarkets has been beneficial for both sides. For Mr. Olijnyk, it allowed to save much time required to market apples at the local market and increased his revenue from 1-2 UAH to 4 UAH per kilo. At the same time, the supermarkets learned that the consumers actually prefer the locally produced apples over the imported ones.
For a long time I had no market for my apples. Today, because of AMP support, I supply apples to all supermarket chains in Cherkasy. My next goal is to penetrate the supermarket chains in Kyiv.
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