The "RO-SAD" farming enterprise in the Kherson region is the only one in the area growing apricots on an industrial scale. While apricot trees grow along roadsides in the region, no one had previously cultivated them as a business.
After eight months under occupation, "RO-SAD" resumed work despite many challenges. The farm is determined to keep going and has ambitious plans for the future.
Rоman Lytvynenko, the owner of "RO-SAD," has been working in agriculture for a long time. He searched for a profitable crop with little competition and decided to grow apricots since no one else in the region was doing it. At that time, most apricots sold in local markets and stores were imported from abroad.
The orchard was planted in 2019. The farm installed an irrigation system for each tree and carefully planned the budget. The initial investment was $100,000, with another $100,000 needed over the next five years to maintain the trees before they started bearing fruit.
Selecting apricot seedlings was an important step. The farm found a nursery in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, and ordered various self-pollinating varieties from foreign breeders.
At first, 3,000 trees were planted, with an irrigation system set up. Almost all (99%) of the seedlings survived. The following year, after observing the trees' growth, the farm decided to plant 5,000 more. In autumn 2021, the second phase of planting began, and the drip irrigation system was expanded. Everything was going well—until February 2022, when the full-scale war started.
All 8,000 trees were left without proper care and irrigation as part of the region was occupied.
Because of the fighting and damage caused by rodents, about 1,000 young trees planted in 2021 died. However, Rоman Lytvynenko chose not to remove them.
"Over time, 300 of the damaged trees recovered and started growing again. In spring 2024, I bought apricot rootstocks and grafted the remaining 700 trees myself. The grafts took well and are growing actively. This year, new young trees will be planted to replace the 700 lost ones," he said.
Today, the farm has 8,000 apricot trees of 21 different varieties growing on 15 hectares of land.
Source: agroportal.ua