en.Wedoany.com Reported - Fyodor Dereka, Minister of Agriculture and Processing Industry of Krasnodar Krai, recently presented the achievements of the horticultural industry over the past three years to the regional Legislative Assembly.
The region is home to over 140 large and medium-sized agricultural enterprises and more than 270 small businesses engaged in fruit cultivation. As of early 2026, the total area of orchards in the region had reached 30,000 hectares, with the area of newly planted orchards in 2025 increasing by 10% compared to the previous year.
In the seedling cultivation stage, 30 farms in the Kuban region are dedicated to producing high-quality planting material. Last year, the region's output of certified fruit tree planting material reached 6.5 million plants, an increase of over 8% compared to three years ago. Simultaneously, as part of large-scale investment projects, fruit storage facilities are being constructed and upgraded locally, supported by national assistance measures.
During the review, deputies focused on the funding status of the "Small Garden" program, noting that allocated funds have always been fully utilized. Discussions also raised the need to strengthen the responsibility of budget fund recipients to ensure rational use of funds and called for more effective utilization of funds allocated under the horticultural development plan.
Regarding the analysis of fruit and berry imports, Sergei Orlenko, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, stated that cooperation is ongoing with the "Kuban Horticulturists" union and relevant authorities to balance the volume of imported fruits entering the region during the harvest season with the output of local farmers. This measure aims to enhance the profitability of domestic horticultural products.
Yuri Burlachko, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly, noted that industrial-scale cultivation of fruits and berries makes a significant contribution to supplying the domestic market with vitamin-rich products, helps achieve several indicators of the "Food Security Doctrine" approved by the head of state, and plays a key role in the import substitution policy. He also believes that horticulture acts as a catalyst for developing related agricultural sectors, such as processing, logistics, and storage infrastructure, nursery and breeding work, as well as agro-industrial cooperation and integration. These facts serve as strong arguments for continued support of the industry, in which the Kuban region holds one of the leading positions among all regions.
In terms of financial support, approximately 800 million rubles were allocated from federal and local budgets last year under the regional state agricultural development program to support horticulture. In 2026, this funding is planned to be increased to 1.2 billion rubles. Enterprises in the Kuban region specializing in fruit and berry cultivation have yields more than 40% higher than the national average.
