"Контінентал" облаштовує системи поливу на частині полів Тернопільської області.

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Photo: Continental Farmers Group

“Continental Farmers Group” has commenced the execution of an irrigation investment project. In the current season, the first phase of irrigated land covers 202 hectares in the southern Ternopil region. By 2027, this area is projected to more than double to 420 hectares.

This was announced by the company’s press service.

Currently, “Continental” is utilizing irrigation for the cultivation of seed corn under a contract with the originator. The company views this project as a long-term investment and does not rule out the possibility of growing other crops under irrigation in the future.

The selection of the project’s location is influenced by the logistics of water intake and the inconsistent natural moisture supply to the fields in the Dniester region.

According to Kostiantyn Shytiuk, the operational director of “Continental Farmers Group,” the issue of irrigation is becoming increasingly critical for western Ukraine, where such practices have not been common.

“Our region has always been considered an area with sufficient moisture and uniform rainfall distribution throughout the year. However, the situation has shifted, and recently we have observed a sharp change in natural-climatic zones. Consequently, the risks of crop failure due to drought during critical plant development stages have become excessively high, while the demand for high-margin and capital-intensive crops, which require a guaranteed and constant supply of moisture, is growing. This includes, in particular, corn for seed production, prompting seed originator companies working with hybrid corn to mandate that seed material be grown exclusively under irrigation, with strict adherence to technological protocols,” comments Kostiantyn Shytiuk.

As stated by the company, the establishment of its own irrigation infrastructure serves a dual economic purpose: to ensure high-margin production on designated areas and to gain access to the buyback program, which offers an additional discount on seed purchases within the framework of cooperation with the originator.

The capital expenditure for the irrigation project implementation is approximately $2.5 thousand per hectare. For irrigation, “Continental” employs classic American-made center pivot irrigation machines with remote control, purchased for both phases of the project.