July 25 2007, 09:09

French Alma Group will plant 400 ha less apple trees than initially planned in Russia

"Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" weekly" informed in April 2007 about French Alma Group company plans to establish apple orchard of 1,200 ha acreage in Kuban region. However, Kommersant periodical informs, these plans were corrected down to 800 hectares.

The source informs that first 50 ha of the orchard will be planted this year; earlier it was planned to establish 150 ha of apple orchard in 2007. Apple tree seedlings for the orchards will be delivered from France; the whole orchard will be grown with the application of drip irrigation systems. This orchard will be located on the northern-eastern suburb of Abinsk, on the territory of the former "Niva" collective farm.

Vladimir Radchenko, Deputy Chief of Abinsk district on the issues of agricultural complex, says that the question regarding the land plots assigning to the regional ownership is under consideration now in the court. He told about land plots registered as the unclaimed land plots. Also, at the present moment French investors are designing the irrigated plot and solve the issues of water supply. The project implementation should take five years. Alma Production Group company plans to invest EUR 66 mln. to the orchard establishment; it is willing to create the complex of apple production, storage and trade in the region.

You can get more details regarding the perspectives of the establishment of large commercial fruit orchards in Russia, and also the perspectives of the produce import from the presentations of the leading experts of this industry during the second international conference "Fruit&Vegetable Business of Russia 2007. Market of New Opportunities", to be held on October 23rd-25th on the territory of EXPOCENTER in Moscow.