Tomatoes for 3 rubles, cucumbers for 4, and cabbage – ruble: priced at the agricultural fair in Minsk

Today, on September 19, the season of autumn agricultural fairs of the weekend started in Minsk. Traditionally, the main locations for trade were the parking at Chizhovka Arena and the site near the Sports Palace. Here from 08:00 to 16:00 farmers from all regions of the country are ready to offer an abundance of natural products: vegetables and fruits, honey and forest mushrooms, fresh fish and hot pastries. In addition, agricultural fairs unfolded in every district of the capital. Correspondents of sb.by went to the location near the Sports Palace and saw how the trade is going there and at what price the products are offered.

- I work as an instructor-methodist at the hockey school “Dynamo”, which is not far from here. I've seen preparations for the fair in a couple of days. I found out the opening date and invited my mom. We have a standard borsch package: tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, squash, cabbage. Mom bought a tomato net.

- Yes, it turned out cheap - 2.50 rubles per kilogram. It is more profitable to buy nets, I gave about ten rubles. I plan to stuff peppers, add them to salads, she said.

We go to the first chalet, study the range and prices. A kilogram of zucchini can be bought for 2 rubles, greens - from 50 kopecks to 4 rubles per kilogram, tomatoes - about 3 rubles, cabbage - 1.50 rubles, pumpkin will cost 2 rubles per kilogram. Its dimensions just attract attention - almost 18 kilograms, it costs 35 rubles. A real fall vibe!

Her friend Natalia decides to take two pumpkins of 18 kilograms. To help in their transportation to the buyer's car agrees the seller.

- Pumpkins are gorgeous, Natalia shares. We live nearby, saw the work of the agricultural fair from the windows of our apartments. We decided to come in. From the pumpkin, you can even make a vase for flowers. You can make soup or bake meat there. There are many options.

- Large cassettes with a cell size of at least 10-15 centimeters in diameter were used, ordinary pumpkin seeds bought at the market were planted there. Only once weeded, came two weeks ago to the site and saw pumpkins of 18 kilograms. We have more than a hundred, not all of them. In general, pumpkins are popular among Belarusians, but in cut form. Not everyone buys 30 kilograms. They prefer a half or a quarter.

- Going to the Chizhovka Arena is a long way for me, and the Palace of Sports is much closer. And today the weather is good, it is even nice to walk along the shopping rows. It's all natural. I am confident in the quality of the products sold at the fairs, as they are grown with caring hands on the ground. Often I can even just chat with vendors, I wonder how they grow their peppers or cucumbers. I can do everything myself, but there is no garden of my own, as well as the strength to do it. I'm retired a long time ago.

- My household is not much, - says Oleg Samson. - My wife and son help. I'm a hereditary grower. My father worked as a vegetable grower for 40 years, and I spent time on the farm from an early age. I studied to be an accountant, and then I quit this business and went to farming completely. I am constantly trading on the Komarovsk market. A lot of people already know me.

- It's a lot of work. Soil preparation should begin in January, and seeds should be sown in February. Then the seedlings must be transplanted into a greenhouse, where in the right climatic conditions the pepper will grow. Naturally, we feed the soil with complex fertilizers, perform drip watering. The same is necessary for growing broccoli: seeds, soil, seedlings and planting. Only cabbage grows not in greenhouses, but in open ground. Important varieties of seeds, their yield. My wife handles this as well as the budget. She is an agronomist by training, I deal with all organizational issues, Oleg Samson shared his secret.

- I was in a hurry to the fair. I found out about her today from the news on TV, otherwise I would have arrived in the morning. The prices are satisfied, vegetables and fish can be bought at a bargain price. It’s also good to walk, but as you can see, I didn’t. I bought cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, apples, pears, peppers. I love cooking. I have long wanted to buy a bag on wheels, now it would be much easier to bring groceries home. By the way, look at the long line for honey. It's interesting to know why they probably sell good honey if the line doesn't stop.

- This shopping chalet is always like that, don't be surprised. From the seller from Shchuchin I buy honey not the first year. It's really delicious. My favorite buckwheat honey was picked up today as it came to the fair closer to lunchtime. So I'm going to buy myself a different kind.

Prices for all products are absolutely delightful. The price of garlic per kilogram - 29 rubles, onions - 17 rubles, blueberries - 20 rubles, apples - 3 rubles, pears - 6 rubles, cranberries - 8.50 rubles, carrots - ruble, potatoes - 1.30 rubles. Plum can be bought for 3.71 rubles, Beijing cabbage costs 3.71 rubles, parsley - 14.14 rubles, dill - 14.14 rubles, mushrooms - 8.45 rubles, beans - 11.91 rubles, radishes - 3 rubles. In one of the trading houses sell fish: carp - 8.50 rubles, carp - 6.17 rubles, pike will cost 11.53 rubles.

A lot of flowers and seedlings are presented at the agricultural fair. Hydrangea costs 35 rubles, Chrysanthemum - 7, lavender - 12 rubles. A mulberry seedling, whose length is about two meters, is sold for 120 rubles. Barbary seedling - 150 rubles, stamp rose - 150 rubles, blueberries - 15 rubles, currants - 25.

- We're not doing any processing. We eat ourselves and offer people. Unsuccessful doubles also happen - they wanted to bring plums for sale, but they were destroyed by worms. Pears are good to buy - today sold eight boxes of 22 kilograms. We generally grow about 20 varieties of pears. The most popular varieties are “Zaveya”, “Lira”, “Maria”.

- I can not distinguish a popular product from Minsk residents - they buy only a little. Many people buy chrysanthemum seedlings, as autumn is the best time to plant this flower. Customers often wonder where we came from. At first, they simply do not believe that such tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers can be grown on their land. We, and not just us, are proving that this is possible.