Melon growers of Stavropol region harvested one fourth of the crop

With the completion of grain harvesting, the Stavropol agrarians gradually shifted the focus of their activities towards the collection of vegetables and melons.

“Currently, melons and gourds are being harvested at an active pace in the farms of the region. From an area of ​​287 hectares, with an average yield of 167.5 centners per hectare, 4.8 thousand tons of watermelons and melons were harvested, which is 28% of the plan. Most of all melons were harvested and harvested in the Neftekumsky and Izobilnensky districts. 4.1 thousand tons have already been sold,” said Natalia Repukhova, HEAD of the Department of Land Reclamation and Vegetable Growing of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Stavropol Territory.

Gourds in the Stavropol Territory are grown in 17 territories on an area of ​​1,039 hectares. At the same time, the main production of watermelons and melons is concentrated in the hottest regions of the Stavropol Territory - in the Neftekumsk, Kursk, Arzgirsk and Stepnovsky districts. These four constituent entities of the region account for about 684 hectares, but in the Neftekumsk district, the harvest of watermelon is traditionally one of the first to begin.

To date, 3.3 thousand tons of watermelons and melons have been harvested here from 200 hectares of melons, with an average yield of 160 centners per hectare, which turned out to be 20-30% higher than this indicator in 2020.
One of the melon growers of Neftekumye, who rejoiced at the good harvest of watermelons in 2021, was the farmer Bayram Esbergenov. Thanks to the grant support of Agrostartup in the amount of 3 million rubles, he was able to fulfill his old dream - to start growing striped berries.

“Earlier I had experience in this direction. But on an industrial scale, I did not grow watermelons. Thanks to the help of the state, for the first time this year, I got my first big harvest: 400-500 centners per hectare,” said Bayram Esbergenov, head of the K(F)X.

This spring, Bayram Asanovich planted seedlings of watermelons of the Dutch variety "Crimson" on 10 hectares of land, which he purchased at the expense of the grant. Also, with this money, he purchased the necessary equipment and units for it.

In the future, a farmer from the Neftekumsky district plans to expand his farm and deal with melons. The farmer plans to build greenhouses for the cultivation and subsequent sale of seedlings of gourds, as well as to establish the production of berries.

“Melons and gourds are unpretentious in care. They tolerate drought more easily than other agricultural plants. And all thanks to a well-branched root system. Therefore, watering crops under the root is not recommended. Irrigation is carried out only on hot days, as waterlogging of the soil causes rotting of melons,” said Natalia Repukhova, head of the melioration and vegetable growing department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Stavropol Territory.