Vinnytsia Gardeners Expand Production of Premium Apples and Pears
The Vinnytsia company LLC “Dudikov” is actively increasing its production capacity for growing premium varieties of apples and pears over an area of more than 110 hectares. The farm is also preparing to launch a large-scale project for processing and storing its own products, which will enhance profitability and fruit quality.
This is reported by AgroReview
Focus on Yield and Modern Technologies
The enterprise cultivates approximately 80 hectares of apples and 30 hectares of pears, demonstrating high yield rates. According to co-founder Oleg Onufriychuk, in certain areas, the yield reaches 85 tons of apples and 50 tons of pears per hectare. Alongside horticulture, the company is engaged in growing grains and oilseeds, and is constructing a modern refrigeration complex with a shock-freezing system. This will enable year-round operation with the products.
Variety and Selection of Cultivars for Stable Yields
In the “Dudikov” orchards, a variety of apple cultivars are grown, including “Red Chief”, “Early Redwan”, “Jeromin”, “Gold Chief”, “Champion”, “Fuji”, and others. The varieties “Champion”, “Fuji”, and “Golden” have shown the best performance in the Vinnytsia conditions due to their resilience to local climatic features. The “Red Chief” variety is gradually being phased out of production due to its insufficient resistance to spring frosts.
Farm specialists emphasize that the correct choice of rootstocks and varieties determines the growth vigor of the trees, yield, resilience to climatic stresses, and the taste qualities of the fruits. For apples, rootstocks M9, M106, and 54-118 are used, while for pears — Quince Sido, BA-29, and Kyuvelin. Harvesting and sales are adapted to demand forecasts and seasonal market changes, with particular attention paid to the storability of the products.
The company emphasizes that climatic risks, particularly spring frosts, can affect the formation of the seed cavity in fruits and their ability to be stored in refrigeration.
That is why winter hardiness and resistance to temperature fluctuations remain the main criteria in the selection of varieties for the further development of horticulture in the region.