The production of vegetables in greenhouses in Russia continues to grow, but experts suggest that the results may fall below expectations

By April 10, vegetable production in greenhouses had reached 415.8 thousand tons, which is 4% higher than the figure for the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture's press service. In particular, the tomato harvest increased by 3% to 157.9 thousand tons, and cucumbers by 4% to 246.7 thousand tons.

The most productive regions were Lipetsk, Moscow, Volgograd, Kaluga, Tyumen, Belgorod, Tambov, and Saratov Oblasts, as well as Krasnodar and Stavropol Krais. The Ministry noted that the development of greenhouse vegetable farming is supported by a set of state support measures, and in some regions, measures provided by the federal project "Development of Vegetable and Potato Growing" are also in place.

The current increase in vegetable production in greenhouses may be no more than a statistical error, said Tamara Reshetnikova, CEO of "Growth Technologies" company. "Interim results are always based solely on data from agricultural organizations, mostly large ones.

The final data will be known by the end of the year. Last year, production growth was also reported throughout the year, but in the end, fewer cucumbers were harvested," she told Agroinvestor. In addition, in the first quarter of 2023, there was a decrease in greenhouse vegetable harvesting due to insufficient natural lighting in some regions of Russia. Therefore, according to the expert, at best, the result will be close to the level of 2022.

Reshetnikova noted that vegetable prices in greenhouses continue to rise. Currently, they are significantly higher than in the same period of 2023 and 2022, with a particularly significant increase in tomato prices - by 15-20%. She pointed out that the reasons for the price increase are understandable - the costs of industrial greenhouses, which in winter are the only vegetable suppliers, are not only not stabilizing but continuing to rise. Despite this, the demand for vegetables in large cities remains stable, Reshetnikova explained.

In 2023, the profitability of vegetable production in closed ground without subsidies reached 22.8%, after a negative figure (-0.2%) in 2022, Roman Nekrasov, director of the Department of Plant Growing at the Ministry of Agriculture, reported in January. According to him, in 2023, a good harvest of greenhouse vegetables was obtained - almost 1.7 million tons. According to Rosstat estimates, the total vegetable harvest from open and closed ground amounted to 7.2 million tons.

According to Alexey Sitnikov, president of the "Greenhouses of Russia" association, the vegetable harvest in greenhouses in Russia in 2023 increased by 5% compared to the 2022 figure and reached 1.68 million tons.

At the end of February, he told TASS that Russia was able to meet its cucumber needs. "Six to seven years ago, we met 48% of our cucumber needs and 30% of our tomato needs. Now we fully meet our cucumber needs and 63% of our tomato needs," he compared. According to Sitnikov, previously cucumbers were supplied from Iran and Spain, and tomatoes from European countries, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan.