On 22 August 2014 a press conference coincided with the 1st International agricultural forum AGROPORT-2014 (www.agro-port.com) was held at informational agency SQ in Kharkiv. The forum will be held in the cargo terminal of Kharkiv airport from 16 to 18 October.
The event is held under the aegis of the UN as part of International year of family farming. The strategic partner is International airport “Kharkiv”. The primary sponsor of the forum is Tractor plant named after S. Ordzhonikidze JSC. The coorganizer is ILF law firm (Inyurpolis).
The members of the press conference were:
- Irina Dyadchenko, a coordinator of International forum AGROPORT-2014, CEO of consulting company AviaBrand;
- Vladyslav Gubin, CEO of Tractor plant named after S. Ordzhonikidze JSC;
- Sergey Silchenko, a coordinator of the III Eastern Ukrainian agricultural forum as part of AGROPORT 2014, a partner of ILF law firm;
- Alexey Ratay, CFC of New Systems AM LLC (International airport “Kharkiv”, DCH group headed by Alexandr Yaroslavsky).
The press conference was opened by Irina Dyadchenko who mentioned that the main goal of the forum is to give professional business instruments, some kind of a road map of agricultural business building and development to national farmers. As to the forum coordinator at first the idea of AGROPORT-2014 holding belonged to the management of International airport “Kharkiv” (DCH group headed by Alexandr Yaroslavsky). The airport fully reconstructed to Euro-2012 (the main part of investment to the project was Yaroslavsky’s) has well-developed infrastructure and wide technical capabilities that can be used not only highly specialized, but also for holding of different huge events. “Coincidentally, 2014 was announced as International year of family farming. Due to this an idea to hold the first Ukrainian forum of family farming in Kharkiv started up. And the cargo terminal of Kharkiv airport is the perfect place for it. Organizers and sponsors have prepared a pleasant bonus: all the events of the forum are totally free for farmers” – Irina Dyadchenko told.
The major problems that will be considered at the forum are the problems of global warming, virus pandemia and organic production development. And of course the forum will be focused on practical results. “Our farmers are the people who are afraid of the words like ‘investments’, ‘credits’. They are not going to share their experience. Understanding this we want the farmers to come, to see, to hear, to get real help and support. We hope they will leave the event realizing that they really need it, not just spend their money for nothing”, – Irina Dyadchenko underlined.
CFO of New Systems AM LLC, the operator of International airport “Kharkiv” Alexey Ratay underlined that the airport has worked on multisided development for a long time. “World tendencies of airports development are such that they are city subcenters. When developing our infrastructure, holding events we attract attention of the people who actively run their business. We understand that the more intensively the city lives and develops, the more possibilities we have”. Alexey Ratay also mentioned that almost there is no economic efficiency, but it is important and necessary to take part in such events. “We understand that our future is common: if economic sectors of Ukraine develop, the airports will develop automatically”, – the DCH representative summarized.
Vladyslav Gubin, CEO of Tractor plant named after S. Ordzhonikidze JSC firstly said thank you to organizers of the forum: “For Kharkiv it is the first professional event of such level, I believe it can become annual. We’ve decided to support the forum holding both as participants and sponsors”. Vladyslav mentioned that over the last years the production strategy of the plant has been oriented on equipment for small and medium business. “As to agricultural producers and small farmings support, the plant has extended the model range of small tractors. We’ve produced one tractor with a capacity of 25 horse power, now we produce 2 additional models with a capacity of 35 horse power with MMZ engine (Belorussian engine) and Italian engine Lamborghini” – Vladyslav Gubin told. He also underlined that the tractors for small business are universal, with high durability and reliability and they can be widely used in small farming. Moreover the tractor plant offers its clients grace crediting systems and other services which make the production of the plant moderate for wide range of customers.
The coordinator of the III Eastern Ukrainian agricultural forum as part of AGROPORT-2014 mentioned the actuality of the future event: “Receiving a feedback we see that farmers need places where they can discuss the questions relating to their professional farming activity”. The speaker also underlined that holding of the III Eastern Ukrainian agricultural forum as part of AGROPORT-2014 exactly in Kharkiv gives the whole range of new possibilities for development. “We want to use an experience of other countries and orient on the fact that development of family farming gives us possibilities to employ those who live in villages and then we can take leading positions in gardening, vegetable farming – where hand work is really needed. It will allow us to return farm people back to economy, to give these people their social status and actually they will become one of important elements of civil society in Ukraine”, – Sergey Silchenko said.
Background
AGROPORT-2014 is the first branch forum of family farming development in Ukraine. Target audience is farmers, agricultural companies, suppliers of raw material and equipment for agriculture, investment companies, financial structures, specialized national establishments and departments. Also representatives of the UN and FAO (Food and agricultural organization) have been invited to take part in the event.
The primary sponsor of the forum is Tractor plant named after S. Ordzhonikidze JSC. The general Internet partner of the event is Fermer.ru. The general informational partner is the 1st national channel. The official informational partner is Prorosition magazine. Partners: Era radio, informational analytical portal APK vegetables and fruit, informational agency AgroNews, Ukrainian informational agency Interfax, Kharkiv website 057.ua, online version of the newspaper Ridne Selo, newspapers: Business, Agrosnab, Agrarnik, Slobidsky Kray.
The strategic partner is International airport “Kharkiv” (http://hrk.aero/) – one of the key objects of Slobozhanshchina capital, reconstructed in preparation for the finals of European Football Championship in 2012. Sizes of a new runway are 2500 х 45 m. Start of large-scale project was given on April 1, 2008, when New Systems AM LLC (a group of DCH, the owner – a well-known Ukrainian businessman, investor and general coordinator of Kharkiv’s preparations for Euro 2012, in 2005-2012 – the president of FC Metalist Alexander Yaroslavsky) won the competition for a long-term rent of the integral property complex of Kharkiv airport.
Reconstruction of International airport “Kharkiv” was made in the format of public-private partnership. The total investment to the project made by Alexander Yaroslavsky was $ 107.2 million (airport terminal and surrounding areas). The amount of funding allocated from the State budget for the reconstruction of the airport complex (including construction and airfield control tower) – $ 191.3 million.
