As part of a working trip to the Roslavl region, the governor of the Smolensk region, Alexey Ostrovsky, visited the rpc production site in the village of Oster. rpc General Director, Sergey Merzlyakov, briefed the governor on the progress of investment projects aimed at the construction of a plant for the production of soils, substrates, fertilizer mixtures, casing soil, humic preparations, the development of new peat deposits for the extraction and processing of peat, as well as the creation of a nursery and berry garden for growing blueberries
In 2019, rpc Group of Companies began implementing an investment project in the Roslavl region and has now completely completed the work and put into operation a plant where soils, substrates and fertilizer mixtures (with dry granulated mineral fertilizers) are produced. It is worth noting that the plant is equipped with modern technological equipment, thanks to which the production capacity will be up to 1.5 million cubic meters of products per year, including other finished products (cover soil, humic preparation, and other related products). In addition, rpc is implementing an investment project to develop new peat deposits for the purpose of peat extraction and processing. Last year, the company allocated about 150 million rubles for the purchase of equipment and attachments for peat extraction and the installation of a station for distributing diesel fuel to vehicles. Sergei Merzlyakov noted that at the moment more than 120 jobs have been created at the enterprise. In the next two to three years, at least 100 new jobs will be created, in particular during the blueberry picking season. Next, Alexey Ostrovsky and Sergey Merzlyakov discussed the issue of transporting products and the use of railway infrastructure for this purpose. It was noted that proposals were sent to JSC Russian Railways for the construction of a railway line from the Kozlovka station to the rpc Group of Companies plant. Alexey Ostrovsky said that he is ready to personally get involved in resolving this issue to provide maximum assistance.
Currently, the company produces peat from 120 hectares of licensed areas in the Roslavl region. It is important to emphasize that in 2022-23. the company plans to increase the peat extraction area to 450 hectares. During a visit to the enterprise, rpc General Director Sergei Merzlyakov told Governor Alexei Ostrovsky that starting this year, rpc’s subsidiary in the Roslavl region has begun implementing an investment project for growing blueberries (a nursery with an agricultural town). It is expected that the first 36 thousand seedlings will be planted this year.
“In the fall, our company wants to conduct an experiment to increase the fertility of agricultural lands together with the Miratorg company,” Sergei Merzlyakov said about the plans. For this purpose, 60 hectares of area are allocated, divided in half, peat is used in one part and not in the other. As a result, the yield per hectare is measured and a decision is made on the use of peat in open ground. Productivity in these areas should increase by 30-40%, all other things being equal. Alexey Ostrovsky supported this initiative of rpc.
In order to develop agrotourism, the enterprise, with the support of the Smolensk regional administration, plans to conduct excursions to the nursery with a presentation of all stages of production from planting to packaging berries. And Smolensk entrepreneurs, on the basis of a nursery under construction, have prepared a project to organize an eco-village, which will be represented by an eco-hotel, a blueberry museum, a cafe with blueberry-based dishes, themed quests, master classes on the preparation of cosmetics, and eco-crafts. Also on the territory of the eco-village there will be a children’s club for teaching agricultural professions.
