May 19 2006, 13:30

Cherkasy farmers significantly extended vegetable acreage

According to information provided to "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal by Sergey Strokan, the Market Information Specialist of Cherkasy office, Agricultural Marketing Project, oblast producers are close to finish vegetable crops planting season. Planting operations are completed for onion, carrot, red beets, cabbage, significant part of tomato fields. The producers also planted transplants of early vegetable varieties and potato.

At the present moment vegetable growers are planting cucumber and the transplants of tomato, pepper and egg-plant.

According to the production and price forecast 2006 for vegetables, fruits and berries, developed by the Agricultural Marketing Project, the acreage for practically all vegetable crops will grow in Cherkasy oblast this year. Past season was rather successful for the producers; it encouraged them to extend business. According to the forecast, cabbage, cucumber, carrot fields can grow one third in the oblast. Potato acreage might extend 5-7%.

Local farmers became very interested in pepper and egg-plant production. The share of these crops is insignificant in the gross vegetable production volume; still the acreage can grow 2-3 times for these crops.