Sugar beet harvesting season in Rivne region: harvest and challenges for farmers

Rivne region has started an active season of sugar beet harvesting. Farmers of the region sowed 19 thousand hectares, which is about 5% of the total area where this important agricultural crop is grown in Ukraine. This was reported by Nadiya Perekhodko, director of the regional department of agro-industrial development.

At the moment, farmers have already harvested 55% of this year's harvest. In particular, farmer Leontiy Gomel from the village of Maly Shpakiv showed the results of his efforts: this year he sowed 57 hectares of sugar beet. "We have already harvested about 35 hectares, and the harvest looks quite good. If we compare it with last year, it is much better. Everything was done according to technology, including soil analysis and the use of fertilizers," the farmer shared.

Gomel grows two varieties of sugar beet, and supplies its crop to the Radekhiv sugar factory, which is the only one in the district. However, he emphasizes that growing this crop is a risky business: "It is a very expensive crop that requires considerable effort to sow, grow and harvest. In our area, no one sows it anymore, and only one plant takes the harvest. Whoever does not take risks is the doesn't drink champagne," added Gomel.

Despite the difficulties associated with the sale of the harvest, farmers face difficulties due to the lack of labor. According to the farmer, more combine harvesters and tractor drivers are needed for efficient work in the field. "This year, we really feel a lack of workers, especially due to the departure of part of the population outside the country and mobilization," Nadiya Perekhodko confirmed.

She noted that, despite the shortage of qualified personnel in agriculture, farmers are finding ways to solve this problem by booking their workers. "They can book up to 50% of their workers, which helps ensure stability during harvest," the official explained.

According to Perekhodko, this year the farmers of the Rivne region sowed 19,000 hectares of beets, of which 55%, or approximately 500,000 tons of sweet roots, have already been harvested. The largest volumes of sugar beets are sent to the Horokhivskyi sugar factory, while Radekhivskyi takes second place in terms of processing volumes. These results indicate the importance of sugar beets for the economy of the region and Ukraine as a whole.