"Organic farming, to me, is the nutrition of my children!"
Emphasises Valentyn Obshtyr, the owner of Staryi Porytsk, during a video interview on the YouTube channel Organic Standard.
I have four children, and I have not outsourced their food for a long time. I buy very little amount of products in supermarkets and markets because real products are becoming less and less. Prior to the time when I owned my own farm, I had bought products from people who really grow up products for the sell as for themselves. Quite soon, it became the rule on our farm “to make for others as for ourselves”.
Moreover, I believe that, for example, in preschools, there should be obligatory organic-based nutrition, as is the case in the majority of preschools in Austria, Switzerland, and France. After all, there is already an adequate amount of produce available in Ukraine to facilitate this process, at least in the context of preschools. It is a regular process, consumption of own organic products stimulates the development of pure and healthy products.
Switching to organic nutrition in kindergartens and schools is already a healthy future for the nation.
Secondly, organic production is an ancient method of land processing plus mechanization, the essence is only one to keep the land for descendants. Because they got used to intensive agriculture… At the expense of what do they reach high productivity? Right due to application mineral fertilization etc. And our fertilization, here they are, they are on our farm.
Our cows - are 10 thousand tons of compost every year which we apply to reach a good harvest. That’s why livestock farming for us is not an additional but necessary option to reach the normal fertility of soils.
Accordingly, thirdly, organic production fosters the development of animal husbandry, creating job opportunities and ensuring employment—crucial in our times. Ukrainian producers have to work doubly hard: considering those who went to the front and those who left. We need to assist the people who stayed and want to continue working. Many enterprises have ceased operations, so those who have preserved their businesses must uphold the economic foundation of our country.
The full version of the interview with Valentin Obshchyr, the founder of the farm Staryi Poritsk, is available on the YouTube channel Organic Standard.
#BraveOrganicInUkraine
Company profile:
Established in 2009, the Staryi Porytsk brand has earned a stellar reputation for its long-standing commitment to organic practices. Situated in Volyn region, the farm obtained official certification for compliance with organic standards from Organic Standard in 2012. Since 2014, a substantial portion of their production has undergone additional scrutiny, aligning with the stringent Swiss standards of Bio Suisse.
The activities of the Staryi Porytsk farm span a broad spectrum of sectors, including agriculture, animal husbandry, and processing of dairy products. On this farm you can witness the successful implementation of cutting-edge methods in organic production.
Cows are raised in free-range conditions and fed with carefully selected natural feeds grown on the farm.
“The uniqueness of our production lies in the fact that everything is managed within one location! We ensure and control the entire process, following the 'from field to shelf' approach, all with the same team, within the same community”, emphasises Valentyn Obshtyr, the owner of Staryi Porytsk.
The Staryi Porytsk brand produces over 40 different varieties of organic dairy products. This assortment includes various hard and soft kinds of cheese, yoghurts, butter, kefir, buttermilk, sour cream, cottage cheese, and pasteurised milk with varying fat content. Additionally, they have recently introduced organic semi-finished products such as cottage cheese pancakes and cottage cheese dumplings. The company also engages in the production of buckwheat groats and flour from hard wheat varieties, among other products.
Shortly, the farm plans to expand into meat processing. “If everything goes well, we are considering the possibility of constructing a small processing facility, similar to our current one for milk processing”, notes Valentyn.
Their products can be found in many stores, including the Silpo retail chain and other local outlets. Furthermore, their products are available for order through online stores specialising in healthy food.
For more details on Valentin Obshtyr's plans and the history of the Staryi Porytsk farm, you can read our article: Architect of positive changes: Valentyn Obshtyr, the owner of Staryi Porytsk
The support to prepare this material was provided by the Project of “German-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of organic agriculture” (COA), which is financed by Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany.
The blog was created as part of Project #BravеOrganicInUkraine in cooperation with Organic Standard (Ukrainian Certified authority carrying out the inspection and certification of organic production). And with the media support of Organic.Info.
The material is available in Ukrainian languages.
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