Pavlo Vasyunik, the director of LLC "Organic Land" in Velykyi Lyubin, Lviv region, shared insights into organic strawberry cultivation with Agronews.ua. With nearly a decade of experience in orchard cultivation and producing berries, vegetables, and greens, Vasyunik has focused on growing organic strawberries and raspberries for the past six years.
Vasyunik emphasizes the importance of soil quality and selecting the right variety for successful organic berry cultivation. He leases land that has been chemical-free for decades and advocates for manual, labor-intensive approaches typical of organic farming to prevent contamination from neighboring agricultural practices.
In contrast to the challenges of raspberry cultivation, Vasyunik finds organic strawberry growing more favorable. Using standard techniques like raised beds covered with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation, he achieves consistent yields.
Despite market uncertainties and limited domestic interest in organic products, Vasyunik remains committed to organic farming. He acknowledges higher production costs but highlights the superior quality of organic strawberries in terms of shelf life, aroma, and taste.
Looking ahead, Vasyunik plans to expand production to meet both domestic and international demands for organic strawberries.
Source: agronews.ua