First in the Central Region. We learned what kind of grain loaf was harvested this season at Gastellovskoye OJSC. 

This year, farmers in the MINSK region harvested a substantial 2.2 million tons of grain, including rapeseed, despite all the unexpected weather conditions. Gastellovskoye OJSC took first place in the 2025 harvest in the central region. The newspaper "7 Dney" found out how the farm achieves such outstanding results.

Painstaking work , technology, and discipline.
The success of the harvest campaign depends largely on the proper organization of the work process at every stage. From preparing equipment for sowing, weeding, and protecting plants from weeds and diseases to harvesting the crops . Painstaking work, adherence to technology, and the discipline of the entire Gastellovskoye team allowed them to harvest a 9,900-ton loaf. The grain yield was 109.7 centners per hectare—the highest among other agricultural enterprises in the Minsk region. 

"The weather has made adjustments to our work since the winter with little snow. Nevertheless, we had a good harvest." "This is all thanks to adherence to technology and proper field management—from seeding, application of mineral fertilizers, crop protection, and timely equipment preparation. This allowed us to harvest all the grain from the fields on time, despite the fact that the harvest began later than last year due to weather," notes Stanislav Sokolovsky, DIRECTOR of Gastellovskoye JSC. 

Seven combine operators worked on the company's lands during this harvest. They prepared the equipment well in advance of the season, monitored its serviceability, and carried out timely and high-quality repairs.  

"Experienced machine operators didn't rush the equipment through the fields during the harvest to speed up the harvest. Instead, they tried to slow down and avoid grain loss. Furthermore, each of them took good care of their combines, knowing that if they were to cause a breakdown early in the harvest, they would be unable to participate in the harvest and, consequently, would lose money ," explains Stanislav Cheslavovich.

Four company drivers, using MAZ trucks with semi-trailers and two additional drivers, quickly and safely delivered all 9,900 tons of grain from the combines to the grain drying complexes.

The company did not seek assistance from other companies, as the HEAD of Gastellovskoye OJSC believes that the first priority is to allow its own people to earn good money. 

The year-round 

harvest is over, but Gastellovskoye OJSC has plenty of work and chores to do. Farmers will soon begin harvesting potatoes, for which 33 hectares have been allocated, and plan to harvest 1,500 tons. They aim to harvest 22,000 tons of SUGAR beets from 250 hectares of the company's land. Currently, the company is preparing silage, and when the corn reaches the desired stage, harvesting will begin.for grain. The sowing of winter grains and rapeseed was recently completed. 

"All our fieldwork is proceeding without disruption to the technological process. We applied organic matter to the winter grains and rapeseed, and also carried out chemical protection. Incidentally, we've already sown 500 hectares of oilseeds, and grains occupy an area of ​​700 hectares," says Stanislav Sokolovsky. 

The agricultural enterprise has completed straw baling, which is very necessary. The Gastellovites have 6,000 head of cattle , 1,750 of which are dairy cows. The cows produce 60 tons of extra-class MILK daily, the sale of which brings in a solid profit. 

"The price of milk on the market largely determines people's salaries. If the price rises, then, accordingly, their earnings do too. Work in the agricultural industry is not easy; there is enough work and troubles year-round. Therefore, we try not to offend our workers and pay them well. The average salary on the farm is over 3,000 rubles, says the director of Gastellovskoye JSC. 

Caring for People: 
According to Stanislav Cheslavovich, the company's specialists and workers who participated in the harvest received a 1,000-ruble bonus. Other Gastellovskoye employees were also rewarded. " 

The grain that the combine operator harvested was planted in the ground by the plowman. In my opinion, it's wrong to reward only the machine operators and ignore the work of others. After all, everyone contributed to the work. Therefore, I try to regulate wages so that no one in our close-knit team is shortchanged and everyone is happy," notes Stanislav Sokolovsky. 

Caring for the company's 230-person workforce is always a top priority. Employees of Gastellovskoye OJSC receive vouchers to sanatoriums, theater tickets, and exhibition tickets. The union organizes trips to historical and cultural sites and attractions throughout Belarus. 

Bonuses are paid on all national and professional holidays. Employees also receive cash bonuses for military service, marriage, and the birth of a child. Every year, Gastellovskoye OJSC welcomes young professionals who occupy not only management positions but also work as machine operators, livestock breeders, and power engineers.
The company also considers providing housing for its staff. The company built its first building—with 114 apartments—with state assistance. And at the end of last year, it commissioned a second apartment building, built with its own funds. It is currently actively occupied. The company also owns several service buildings. By the way, after working on the farm for 10 years, you can buy the housing.  

"There's no other way to attract qualified personnel to the village. Nowadays, even a high salary isn't an argument, and given our proximity to the capital, it's even less so. Therefore, providing company housing is an excellent way to attract and retain specialists. And to back up my words, I'll note that there's no shortage of personnel at Gastellovskoye OJSC," concludes Stanislav Sokolovsky.

The company grows premium grain seeds, including winter and spring wheat, barley, and triticale, which it then sells to Belarusian farms. Regular customers of Gastellovskoye remark on the high quality of its premium crops. 

Following the 2025 harvest, Gastellovskoye OJSC ranked first among agricultural enterprises in the Minsk Region, harvesting 9,900 tons of grain. 

Vadim KONDRATYUK, photo by BELTA and from the company's archive.