In the current year, Russian farmers and economists have faced challenges with the harvesting campaign, which proved unsuccessful due to outdated machinery, labour shortages, and climate change. The situation in the Volgograd region has been flagged, as countless carrots and other root vegetables were left to rot in the fields after a failed attempt to harvest before winter began.
The absence of vegetable storage facilities has emerged as a pivotal issue highlighted by farmers. This deficiency leaves the country ill-prepared for changing climate conditions. Farmers emphasise the lack of modern storage units with climate control equipment capable of maintaining temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius. This dilemma forces them to either take the risk of early harvesting or invest substantial sums in constructing storage facilities.
Economist Leonid Kholod believes that the losses incurred from rotting vegetables will likely impact the supply and demand balance in the Russian market, and imports from other regions or countries could replace home grown vegetables.
Professor Igor Belskih points out issues with storage infrastructure and notes the absence of farmer associations, distinguishing Russia from Western countries. According to him, this limitation hinders the ability of farmers to establish modern warehouse facilities and effectively address storage and marketing challenges.
source: 72.ru