For what loves the season of agricultural fairs in Minsk, a popular online farmer from Slutsky district Ilya Khripachev

Agricultural fairs will start in the capital on September 19. By tradition, the most important platform for trade is next to Chizhovka Arena. It gathers dozens of owners of personal farms, farmers and food producers from all over Belarus. Ilya Khripachev, a 30-year-old farmer from the Slutsky district, grows vegetables in large volumes and works mainly for wholesale. However, to bring the crop to the Chizhov site is sacred for him: - Of course, it is more profitable to sell the grown retail. But that's not the main thing - I love fairs for a moving atmosphere and the opportunity to see friends.

All plagued, but cheerful Ilya drives to his street Garden in his native village Gorodishche on a blue tractor. Behind is a huge trailer with banana boxes full of cream tomatoes. While we were waiting for the farmer from the field outside his house, we tracked the working day of the worker on Instagram. In the video, the guy walks through his plantation and shows subscribers: "Two steps - a full bucket of tomatoes, two more - full again ..." And tomatoes are beautiful, any hostess will say: perfect for sunsets. They leave (we already judge this by the endless calls Ilye from customers) in whole boxes.

Tomatoes are a hit of sales for a young farmer, but not the only thing that he will be lucky to the capital’s kirmash.

- What to tell, we go on the field, offers the guy, jumping into the bead. - The current harvest is gorgeous!

To confess, I have never seen a bush so generously sprinkled with peppers, and even strong men. It is hard to believe that this is grown in the open ground. Between the rows - complete order: no weed, laid a system of drip irrigation. You can see the master's hand. I recall the words of a colleague who comes from the Slutsk district: “Slutsk has so pa-people.” You can't argue.

- I was the one who put Sergey's school friend on the farm. Grown a competitor on his head! (Laughs)

We traveled all four hectares of land of the Khripachev family. We admired eggplant, were surprised by cabbage, were delighted with potatoes, carrots, onions and note for ourselves: such a variety and excellent quality of the harvest is still to be searched for. Now let’s move on to talking about prices. Ilya estimates the approximate price, but with the caveat: - The market is the market. We'll come to the fair and find our way. In the meantime, we plan to sell potatoes for ruble. Carrots, I think, will be a ruble - ruble 20. Onions this year are decent - a ruble of 50 kopecks per kilo. Eggplant would ideally sell for five rubles. Let's get some more white cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Without a tomato in no way - wholesale rent on the ruble, retail will be two. Fair is a team business. Hripachevs usually travel in two beads and a large family: Ilya, his father, wife, sister, school friend. By six in the morning arrived, decomposed, and, although officially the fair starts at nine in the morning, from half past eight, the first customers make the passage.

- Dad is our mascot. Do you know how many regular clients come to him?! – jokes the guy, to which the father of a young farmer brushes aside – they say that you make him blush. - We work together: two count, someone replenishes the counter, someone helps the goods to the buyer's car to deliver on a cart. And someone needs to be a security: when there are many people, carrots can be carried away under the noise and bag, for example. The day sold out and we are happy to go home to pack beads for Sunday.

The farmer tells about his observation, who with what approach buys on the kirmash: - Men are usually as follows: came, got the list, read. We have gathered the goods, calculated and happiness, health. Girls are different, they like to choose. They often feel that the best is hidden at the bottom. (Smiling) It is probably correct: what would you advise the hostess who cooks? She knows which eggplant to take. The beauty of the fair is that - you can feel, choose! My partner Lisa asks Ilya if it is difficult for him to throw a bag of potatoes on his shoulder for a photo. The guy laughs fervently:

- Joking? After the fair, I carry them to the fifth floor! Home delivery. There are more installments, loans..

Installments, loans? To my surprise, the guy clarifies - and this was a joke:

- To be honest, the fair is a gamble. I can feel the moment when the customers get angry. They come for a net of vegetables, and leave with a full cart: three bags of carrots, pepper on top, eggplant, a banana of tomatoes, three bags of potatoes. They pick up until the wallet is empty, but happy - with a reserve for the whole winter!

Ilya says that many farmers and owners of private farms are already in anticipation of the fair season, calling:

- Gena, Irina Grigorievna - familiar farmers from the Slutsk district - also go. Sometimes we are placed near Chizhovka. But everyone has their turn, their customers. Competitors, but rather good friends. We share experiences and help each other.

To the question, if wholesale harvest handed over, why waste time on the fair, the Slutsk farmer argues:

- First of all, it's a family tradition. Second, regular customers are waiting. By the way, among them is my teacher from the college in Chizhovka, where I studied. Third, food to label yourself: After a fair, the number of wholesale buyers tends to rise. And fourth, fairs are convenient. The organization on the Chizhov site is excellent: registered on the website, took a certificate from the village council about the crop grown - and here you are a place for trade, and absolutely free. And the atmosphere here is propulsive - you recharge from people, you hear a simple, but such an important "thank you for your work." Autumn agricultural fairs will be open until December 6: the weather allows you to trade vegetable products until the first frost

The main site in Minsk will be the Chizhovka Arena on the street. Tashkent, 19. Also, three times during the fair season for the convenience of citizens who will not be able to get to local fairs, expanded trade in agricultural products will be carried out at the Sports Palace: September 19-20, October 10-11 and November 13-14. Also, daily trade in agricultural products will be organized in Minsk: sites will open in residential areas of the capital.