From outsiders to the three leaders of the district’s farms: management secrets from the director of OJSC Proskurnyansky

The topic on which the director of JSC "Proskurnyansky" Zhlobinsky district of the Gomel region Yuri Kozyrev does not like to talk is his professional success. Here he is categorically modest: in every farm there are achievements and there is something to strive for. But the fact remains that three years ago, the young leader was entrusted with a complex enterprise in his small homeland, and today the wall of the office is decorated with a scattering of diplomas for prizes in professional competitions.

It is noteworthy that Yuri Kozyrev worked exclusively on the territory of his native Zhlobinsky district. Mainly in agriculture, however, at one time he headed the Novomarkovichi Rural Council. His small homeland is just the urban village of Streshin, the center of the economy. During a spontaneous mini-excursion on the way to the office, it is clearly felt that Yuri Kozyrev is proud of his native places. Maybe that's why, when he was offered to head a local lagging enterprise three years ago, he wasn't afraid.

- may 3, 2023! - director jokes that the date of taking office will never be forgotten.

By reorganization in 2021, two neighboring farms with centers in the settlements of Streshin and Proskurni were merged into one structure. Yuri Kozyrev tactfully does not go into details: - There were enough problems. There was an endless loss of livestock, weak performance. I won’t say that everything is perfect right now. But when I arrived, the farm was selling 2.5 tons of milk per day, today it is 10 tons. This is certainly not the highest level. However, if you open the operational summary, you will see that we are constantly increasing: compared to last year, we gave plus 20 percent for sales and plus 22 percent for gross production. The task was partly helped to cope with the experience gained at the Young Leader School. This is a project to train promising personnel in agriculture, which is being implemented in the Gomel region. Participants learn the theory and practice of management, get acquainted with the developments of other enterprises of the agricultural sector.

Yuri Eduardovich is extremely cautious in his positive assessments of the current situation. But progress is visible to all. In terms of feed harvesting, the farm this year took the third place in the Zhlobinsky district, in grain production became the second, improving the position of last year's result. Not bad for a recent outsider.

The more interesting is what secret methods the young leader used to improve the situation. Yuri Kozyrev in the sensation refuses us: - No special strategies. We have just established discipline so that everyone goes about their business, their work – this is what the President sets us all up for. Farmers are fulfilling a very important task for the country, each of our decisions affects food security, what will be on the shelves, what will be our welfare. You can't just walk around and make an appearance. All instructions must be strictly followed. Processes had to be streamlined and staff reduced from 186 to 135. There were difficult personnel decisions, but the backbone of responsible and hardworking people developed quickly. Yuri Kozyrev promptly addressed the issue of feed harvesting:

- The food was bad – they were bought. In the first year, we broke the existing system – we prepared feed for a year and a half ahead. And it became much easier, no longer had to think every morning how to feed the cattle. So, as you can see, no secret recipes for success. It's simple - you have to work!

We leave the office and go on a house tour. It is not the largest: 6500 hectares of land, of which 4,000 are plowing, 2320 head of cattle. In the fields near Streshin, cherries are raised - this particular land is prepared for corn for the next year. On one farm, a calves dispenser for 104 cattle is being completed. This issue, as in the whole industry, is given special attention. In the second, Yuri Kozyrev introduces us to the veterinarian Veronika Medvedeva:

Veronika Alexandrovna came to us from Vitebsk on distribution. I recently decided to extend my contract. Targets are here too. Accountant Yulia Soboleva is a local, and engineer Mikhail Romashko is from the Brest region. So there are young people.

- - What are you luring.

- They come! - Yuri Kozyrev smiles in response. Of course, we have significantly increased wages, provide housing. It is stimulating, but not the main one. A person is important work conditions and attitude towards him. He performs his tasks honestly, having all the means for this, which means that he can safely come home and not think about working questions: how to do it, where to get it, where to run.

- Occasionally. I'm on a hunt. It is not the end goal that attracts, but the process of studying tracks, waiting and tracking. I met a lynx, roe deer. There are wolves, foxes, hares in our forests.

- How do you prefer to spend your vacation?

- I just do my own thing and try not to come to work.

- Is it working?

- Not always.

- You only worked in your neighborhood. If you were to offer a nice place, would you move?

- No, there's still work to do.

- You are doing a very important thing, but not everyone will agree to this

- It's just really mine. Agriculture is my life.