Ukraine's first industrial plantation of iris has appeared in the Kiev region. Until then, this berry has not been grown on a large scale in the country. This is reported by Dengi.ua with reference to publication SEEDS.
It is noted that the first industrial harvest will be taken up by the owner of the Brilliantovaya Yagoda LLC, Oleh Levchenko. In his farm near Kiev, young plantations of iris occupy 20 hectares. According to the farmer, it is from this plot that the first large crop in the country will be harvested.
It is reported that there is little knowledge of the irga in Ukraine, and the crop is little known in Europe. The main areas of its cultivation are in the northern states of the United States and in the south of Canada, where it comes from. The fruits resemble blueberries, have a sweet taste and pleasant aroma, they are consumed fresh or used for processing.
"The fig tastes even brighter than blueberries. At the same time, it is also very useful. This berry is one of the strongest natural antioxidants, contains many trace elements and vitamins. In addition, it ripens much earlier than blueberries", - said Oleg Levchenko.
According to the publication, from one hectare can get from 10 to 15 tons of fruit. When stored at temperatures up to 8 °C, the berries are preserved for about one and a half months. The plantation is planted with different varieties, selected so that the berries ripen at different times. This will extend the picking period by six weeks.
It is also reported that iris is considered an unpretentious crop: it easily adapts to the conditions, does not require fertile soil and a large amount of moisture. Another advantage is high frost resistance: bushes can tolerate frosts down to -30 °C, and the flowers are resistant to spring frosts. Flowering begins in the first decade of May. The plant is also rarely affected by diseases and pests, so it practically does not need chemical protection.
"Now in the world no one grows irga on an industrial scale. And even if we are talking about business, it is almost impossible to buy large batches of berries. In Ukraine, however, I will be the first to offer this berry in significant volumes. I plan to work with market chains, and I already have certain established connections in this direction," - emphasized the entrepreneur.
Despite the fact that cultivation of this crop is a new direction for him, the farmer is already considering the expansion of plantations. For future plantings he reserves seedlings in nurseries, where they are grown to order.