Novorossiya dreams of becoming a wine-producing region – but for now it is increasing grain production
The Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions have been living without water for irrigation for the third year.
Instead of vegetables and fruits, the regions are growing wheat, hoping to return to traditional crops after the end of the Second World War and the restoration of the Kakhovka Reservoir as the main reservoir for irrigation, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The Kakhovka Reservoir's 18 billion cubic meters of water were sufficient for both drinking water and agricultural irrigation. In the Kherson region, 450 hectares were under artificial irrigation, and another 40 hectares were under drip irrigation. In the Zaporizhzhia region, almost 100 hectares were irrigated. Wheat is now grown on these lands and exported through Crimean ports.
"Crimea is a good hub for grain exports from the Zaporizhzhia region. We have our own port, but its shipments are small, so they go through Sevastopol. The Zaporizhzhia region plans to develop fruit and vegetable production, and the logistics chain will be established along the Novorossiya highway. However, there are currently problems with the lack of irrigation and the dismantling of the irrigation system, which was actively operating," explained Gennady Podshivalov, Acting Minister of Agriculture of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Currently, the Zaporizhzhia region produces dairy and meat products, which are already available in Crimean stores. Products from the Melitopol bakery are shipped to Donetsk. Once the irrigation system is restored, the region will return to vegetable growing and implement the Soviet-era project to build irrigation canals in the Azov region, which will develop viticulture and horticulture on 120 hectares. This project has been approved by the Russian president as promising for the development of the entire region.
"Development plans are linked to filling the Kakhovka Reservoir, which requires a cessation of hostilities, restoration of the dam, and the beginning of water storage. Once these two issues are resolved, all other problems will be resolved as well: canals that need repairs in some places and mine clearance in others. Mine clearance work is underway from the Crimean side toward the Dnieper," explained Ihor Hryhoriev, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Kherson Oblast.
According to him, the Kherson region used to grow 2 million tons of vegetables annually with water, but now it's only 136 tons. They're not rushing to drill wells and build storage ponds like in Crimea, but they know where to get water without waiting for the Kakhovka Reservoir to fill.
"There's a water intake point from the Dnieper River in the Golopristansky district. Once all our work is completed, we can quickly lay a pipeline and supply water to the Krasnoznamensky Canal irrigation system. This way, we'll be able to supply water and restore vegetable fields in Golaya Pristan, Tsyurupinsky, and Skadovsky districts. Maybe not 100%, but we can restore vegetable production to 50%," Grigoryev noted.
For now, the domestic market relies on private farms. Kherson farmers transport their harvest to warehouses in Crimea, where the carrots, potatoes, and onions are peeled, packaged, and distributed to retail chains in the Kherson region. There's also nowhere to process the grain—the flour mills are located 15 kilometers from the frontline.
The LPR is developing livestock farming and is gradually restoring arable land. Around 500 hectares have been brought into cultivation, and not just brought into cultivation, but verified for participation in all federal agricultural support programs.
"Investment projects have been launched today that will increase herd size and dairy production by 80% over the next two to three years. Three sunflower processing plants have been launched. Over the next two seasons, we will process the entire harvest within the republic and sell the finished product. Starting this year, we will be entering the federal distribution network," emphasized LPR Minister of Agriculture and Food Yevgeny Sorokin.
Until July of this year, the LPR will accept applications for re-registration of land rights within the Russian legal framework and cadastral registration. After this, abandoned lands will become state property.
Novorossiya dreams of becoming a wine-producing region – but for now it is increasing grain production