Yuriy Vasyukov, Regional Director of EkoNiva Group in Kursk region, has been honoured by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. He received a prestigious Letter of Commendation signed by Dmitriy Patrushev, Minister of Agriculture, that expresses gratitude for years of diligent and efficient work of the Director and the whole Zashchitnoye farm team in the agricultural industry.

The farm has been operating on Kursk land for 20 years. Throughout this time, Zashchitnoye has expanded the initial 2,000 ha by nearly 20 times to reach 40,000 ha. The enterprise breeds its own varieties and also produces basic seeds of cereals, pulses and perennials.

The portfolio features 65 commercial varieties with a high genetic potential. The enterprise facilities include several seed plants with a total capacity of up to 130,000 tonnes, which produce 500–550 tonnes of seeds per day. Modern storage facilities are designed for 125,000 tonnes of bulk grain and up to 12,000 tonnes of packaged seeds. In 2022, the farm harvested 154,000 tonnes of grain in standard weight, which is 10% more than in the previous year.

‘We work hard to bring our performance up to the next level every year by improving yields and upgrading equipment. We aspire to meet the needs of our customers, to help them to make their businesses more progressive and profitable. For that, we employ innovative solutions, smart farming practices and efficient machinery. Besides, we are in a scientific collaboration with over fifty breeding centres of Russia and other countries’, says Yuriy Vasyukov.

EkoNiva Breeding Centre operating in Kursk oblast develops new in-house varieties. The State Register of Breeding Achievements already has three EkoNiva varieties of soya bean and seven varieties of winter wheat. The Centre has also launched breeding programmes for chickpeas, lentils, spring wheat and spring fodder barley.

Yuriy Vasyukov started working for EkoNiva in 1994 when it was founded. Since then, the company has expanded to become one of the largest agricultural holdings in Russia and a leading producer of raw milk in Europe.

‘I’ve seen the whole path of the Group and I’ve directly contributed to its development. Today, EkoNiva is a household name. For us, EkoNiva team, it’s essential to maintain and promote advanced farming practices, which has become a hallmark of our holding’, highlights Yuriy Vasyukov.