“District-scale project”: here milk is not only “white gold”, but also a “deposit”
We went and found out how powdered milk can become a “deposit”, why employees are forbidden to make noise at the new farm of a legendary agricultural enterprise, and why a small town needs a grocery store.
“Our company is catching up, not ahead”
Vasily Grigorovich has loved farming and cooking since childhood. Therefore, after graduating from school, I chose a university where all this could be combined - Grodno State Agrarian University, majoring in dairy production technology engineer. I was right with the in-demand profession: by the time the young specialist was assigned, they were ready to employ several enterprises at once. But Vasily approached the choice in detail: he visited each one, talked with the managers, and assessed the working conditions. As a result, I settled on the Kopyl branch of Slutsk CHEESE FACTORY OJSC, whose history goes back more than 70 years. – Each workshop has been assigned a mentor – these are experienced specialists whom I can turn to on any issue within their competence. “Colleagues help me grow professionally,” says Vasily Grigorovich, who, by the way, can already accurately determine the fat content of milk.
He valued his first workplace, a cheese making shop, for the opportunity to improve the product by changing the recipe. This gave free rein to imagination. And she has plenty of room to roam: the company produces almost two dozen types of cheese!
– Even a traditional product can be made more interesting by adding ingredients or replacing them. I dream of one day creating my own cheese recipe. In the meantime, sometimes I go and think about how I can get a new shade of taste from those that we are already releasing. I’m wondering whether others will like this new product, because it’s important that the product sells,” Vasily clarifies. Now a promising young specialist is working in the newest workshop of the enterprise - the same one that was built at the end of last year as part of the innovative project “Creation of innovative production of powdered milk with a capillary-porous structure in the Kopyl branch of OJSC “Slutsk Cheese-Making Plant”. They do real work here. unique products, the production of which has only been mastered by a few factories in Belarus.
“The workshop has the best equipment, and a whole team is working on improving the technology,” notes Vasily Grigorovich,
and in 10 years he sees himself at the Kopyl branch of the OJSC. Slutsk cheese-making plant." Dreams of becoming a professional,which they will be proud of.
“I want to do everything that depends on me so that our enterprise remains one that is being caught up, and not ahead,” sums up Vasily. “Powdered milk is a kind of “deposit” The desire of the young specialist completely coincides with the plans of the DIRECTOR of the Kopyl branch of OJSC “Slutsk Cheese-Making Plant” Alexander Kremenchuk, who has been working here since 2008. The modernization and construction of new workshops took place with his participation, including the one implemented in 2017 year, an important innovative project for the demineralization of whey. Its processing was previously a big problem in all regions of the country. It was the Kopyl branch of the Slutsk Cheese Factory that helped the MINSK region cope with it. The production of instant milk powder was also the idea of Alexander Kremenchuk. There are several advantages at once: firstly, the opportunity to enter new markets in the countries of Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Such production is also interesting for Belarus. Instant milk-based mixtures are an import-substituting product. Confectionery enterprises and public catering establishments are happy to buy it . and even private owners of vending machines. Moreover, powdered milk from Kopyl is cheaper than foreign milk. “Secondly, this production will ensure the economic security of our enterprise,” notes the manager. – Such products can be stored for 2 years. If sales of cheese or butter noticeably decrease, we will be able to convert the milk that comes to us into dry form and store it for several years, whereas cheese – 4 months, butter – a year. I know that with such a product I will always get my money back . This is a kind of “deposit”. The building for the new workshop was built based on existing experience: in 2009–2020, the company erected a workshop for drying whey. Then such projects spread throughout the country. But Kopyl was the first. “We are practitioners, we know all the nuances,” Alexander Petrovich is sure. – For example, already at the design stage, flexible production was laid out in the new workshop, which can be converted to produce one of four types of products. After all, today the market requires instantly satisfying customer demand, and it changes often. We have taken this into account. “Plans for the year? The five-year plan is already planned!” Alexander Kremenchuk notes that the new workshop was built thanks to participation in the President’s initiative “One district - one project.” More than 11 million rubles allocated from the innovation fund covered 90% of the costs of construction and purchase of equipment. Without this, we would have had to either forget about the project or take out loans. – The construction of workshops, the use of new technologies is a technological development that helps move forward not only a specific enterprise, but also the entire region,- the director is sure
. – If you don’t do this constantly, you can stay behind your competitors.
To prevent this from happening, Alexander Petrovich has already outlined plans for the coming years. The first point is to complete the construction of a ripening chamber for elite cheeses for 480 tons.
– Analysis of the Russian market showed: simple cheeses are no longer interesting there, it is necessary to create a line of an elite group. We expect to increase their share to 40% by the beginning of 2025. The technology for making elite cheeses is familiar to us - we are already producing 10 items in this group,” the manager clarifies.
Another project for the near future is the construction of a modern 11 MW boiler house. It will allow the company to save energy resources, mainly gas.
“There are enough plans for next year,” assures Alexander Kremenchuk. - What is there for the year - the five-year plan is scheduled!
“Our milk has always been valued for its quality”
- She came to the creamery in 1981 immediately after graduating from college. I managed to work in different shops: cheese, butter, yogurt and even casein. Technologically, our plant has, of course, made great strides forward. In 1981 there was a lot of manual labor here. I was very physically tired, working 12 and sometimes 18 hours as a press operator in a cheese shop.
There were a lot of orders - Kopyl milk has always been appreciated for its taste and quality. And now the technology here is beautiful: everything is automated, new,” notes Valentina Ivanovna.
Having retired four years ago, she continues to work at the company, cleaning office premises. He notes that he goes to work with joy, even though he has to get up at 4 o’clock in the morning.
“I need to be here before everyone else.” I want people to start their workday in clean offices. As they said in Soviet times, cleanliness is the key to HEALTH. And even more so where food products are produced,” says Valentina Ivanovna. – For example, I only buy our butter and cheeses in stores, because I see who makes them and under what conditions.
Good butter and excellent cheese are produced in Kopyl thanks to such masters as Elena Bychinskaya. She has been working here for almost 20 years. And her love for cheese and butter was born much earlier. Mom made them herself at home under the curious gaze of the then small children. Elena, as she got older, began to help.
“That’s probably why I wanted to become a master of whole milk products.” To some extent, I associate this work
with my mother and our village home,” explains the master cheesemaker. Working at the Kopyl branch of OJSC Slutsk Cheese-Making Plant is also connected with childhood memories by the fact that both then and now Elena Mikhailovna is surrounded by family. All four of her sisters work here in different departments. My husband is also an employee of a cheese-making plant.
“When a family works at the same enterprise, there is a feeling of special reliability - they will never let you down,” Elena Bychinskaya wisely notes. “They invited my daughter to the city, but she doesn’t want to.”
Kopyl milk would never have won the hearts of buyers if it had not been made from high-quality raw materials. Its suppliers are local agricultural organizations. In particular, the legendary OJSC "Staritsa-Agro". Its territory is so large that it accommodates 17 villages, every third resident of which works at this enterprise. Agricultural tractor driver Oleg Rytko is no exception. As a boy, he often visited here with his father: he proudly rode with him to work, sitting next to him in the tractor cab. Oleg Anatolyevich’s mother worked there as a milkmaid. – After school, I completed a tractor driving course and went to Staritsa-Agro. When I was drafted into the army, I served and returned here. I've been working for 25 years. There is also a wife, daughter, son-in-law and son. All my children followed in the footsteps of their parents. Since childhood, my son said that he would be a tractor driver. I taught him to drive a tractor, just like my dad once taught me. My daughter has been offered a job in the city more than once, but she refuses. He says that that city is noisy and bustling, but in the village it’s calm and good,” says Oleg Rytko.
He sits behind the wheel of a brand new tractor and talks about how much has changed for the better over the past 25 years. Previously, for example, his mother milked cows by hand on the farm, now she uses machinery to help.
– Everything we have is modern. There are new combine harvesters and tractors. There is enough technology - no complaints. Recently a new dairy complex "Rusaki" was built - there will be more worries. Although I already have irregular working hours - there is no downtime in livestock farming, the cattle need to be fed according to a schedule,” the tractor driver clarifies.
Director of OJSC "Staritsa-Agro" Vladimir Rudakovsky confirms: here they pay special attention to what is on the table for the cow, because livestock farming brings in about 65% of revenue. And even plans for crop production are built on the basis of the needs of cows. – For example, we strive not only to sell grain, but also to use it as animal feed in order to obtain high-quality milk. Its profitability is 25–30%. We are building a full-cycle enterprise - it is economically profitable. We consider the animal as a mechanism: the cow has covered itself, milked itself, laid down - and a new cycle begins. Revenue from the sale of dairy products last year amounted to 33 million rubles, this year we plan to increase it to 36 million,” says Vladimir Anatolyevich.
“It is important that the workers’ eyes light up.”
Now on the Staritsa-Agro farms there are 9,750 HEAD of cattle , more than a quarter are dairy cows. Each of them produced almost 6.5 thousand liters of milk last year. And on one of the farms the milk yield reached 11 thousand.liters per cow.
“However, this farm and two others had to be closed: there weren’t many cows there, which were serviced by a whole staff of employees. They are all wonderful professionals. Therefore, that part of the farm workers who have not reached retirement age switched to the new MTF “Rusaki,” says the manager and notes that the buildings of the three mentioned MTFs will not stand idle, they will be reconstructed to house heifers.
The new complex was built in less than a year. To reduce the cost, they were partially built using self-help methods. Currently, MTK "Rusaki" contains 300 head of young animals, of which 200 are milking herds.
– As a matter of principle, we leave only first-calf heifers here. Every day we milk about 4 tons of milk, approximately 30 liters per cow. By August we plan to completely fill the complex - up to 700 animals. We are currently actively recruiting staff. At the same time, we are putting into operation a building for keeping calves, building a milking and dry wood shop,” says Vladimir Rudakovsky.
A professional with extensive experience, Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus , “Person of the Year of the Minsk Region - 2018” regretfully states: young people are not eager to become farmers.
– Although we are trying very hard to attract her: we pay scholarships to excellent students of two schools and students with whom we enter into contracts. Now two of our future economists are studying at universities, an agronomist and a mechanical engineer are studying at a technical school, and we are waiting for five more specialists from the college,” says the director.
At the same time, Staritsa-Agro offers proactive, talented employees good working conditions and career growth. For example, in just 10 years, Alesya Solilo grew from a foreman to the head of the Rusaki MTC complex. – In 2014, my husband and I moved to Belarus from the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine. We have been working as livestock breeders at Staritsa-Agro for 10 years, although I am a builder by training and my husband is a miner. Here they provided us with work and gave us a house. I was appointed foreman of the livestock production team, head of the Badezhi MTF. I quickly got into everything because I had a desire to do it. Now I myself can assist in giving birth to a cow, if necessary, and water a calf,” says Alesya Viktorovna.
When she was invited to head the new MTK, she agreed without hesitation. He says that building a job from scratch is interesting. Everything here is state-of-the-art: high-quality equipment, fully automatic control. And also - a staff of employees who care about their business is selected.
“It’s important to me that their eyes light up.” I’m glad that a team of like-minded people is gathering. Sometimes it’s time for the milkmaids to go home, but they don’t leave: the calf is about to be born, it needs to be watered. Or an employee rivets chains after the end of the working day: a new group of animals needs to be tied up, it won’t wait until tomorrow. It is important for all of us that the cows are comfortable. They are not stress-resistant at all: they will hear the slightest rustle - their ears will already be on top of their heads. They’ll be a little scared – they’ll give you less milk. That’s why I forbid workers on farms to speak loudly or make noise,” says Alesya Viktorovna. – I really want our complex to show good results.
“I cook for visitors as if for family.”
If you are ever in Kopyl, be sure to stop by the central dining room of the local district restaurant. Even on weekdays it is crowded: every day on average about 200 visitors come to have a snack that is not only tasty, but also budget-friendly: salad, soup, hot dishes and coffee - maximum 8 rubles!
The local culinary masters are led by Alexandra Lazovskaya, a chef with 46 years of experience. She instilled a love of cooking in her son, daughter and grandson - they all became chefs.
“I have loved cooking for as long as I can remember. As a child, I learned to cook porridge myself and treated it to my dad. Now, of course, signature dishes are already different: bakedfish and pork “Zavirukha”, salad “Kopylsky,” says the chef, without looking up from making cutlets. – I really like to develop new recipes and offer them on the canteen menu. I am happy if visitors like these dishes. I always want to surprise with interesting tastes, I cook as if for my family.
It has become easier for Alexandra Nikolaevna and her colleagues to do this since 2021, when before the holiday of the Day of Belarusian Literature and the regional “Dozhinki”, all the premises of the dining room, as well as the restaurant “Kolos” located above it, were renovated and the equipment was updated. To do this, I had to work around the clock for several months. But now there is a minimum of manual labor, and maximum pleasure from work. And it’s also full of regular visitors.
“People leave us in a good mood, well-fed, and grateful,” notes the chef.
The quality, standardization and radiation safety engineer Daria Litvinenko is responsible for the quality of what is prepared in the canteen and restaurant of the Kopyl District Pool. Two years ago, she started here as a pastry chef after graduating from the Baranovichi Technological College. Management noticed a responsible young specialist and offered a promotion. Now, as an expert, Daria can authoritatively state: in their district, the quality is at the highest level. And in everything. – We use only high-quality raw materials, purchase new technological equipment - all this improves our products. Go to any store of the Kopyl District Pool – the choice of goods is even greater than that of some private traders. In catering establishments, the level of service is high, the industry is strong: MEAT and bakery products of such excellent quality as ours are hard to find! – the young specialist is confident.
"Investment is required!"
But really, let’s take a look at the Kopyl consumer cooperative stores. The first point is the former “Cooking”, and now the culinary store “Gastrolavka” in the city center. The sign promises us “people's holidays” and does not deceive. The showcase displays all kinds of culinary, bakery and confectionery products - from hot dogs to cakes.
– The modernization of “Kulinaria” has been brewing for a long time. We wanted to create a cozy place where you can spend time in style. The result was a format combining a cafe and a pastry shop. "Gastrolavka" has become a kind of meeting place for parents and children, since it is located near a school where children from nearby villages also study. If classes end early, moms and dads are often waiting here with a cup of tea and a bun,” notes Chairman of the Board of the Kopyl District Pool Viktor Smusenok, who has been working in the consumer cooperation system for 42 years.
Since his arrival in the leadership, the facilities of the local district administration have changed a lot. And all because of a special approach to work, which Viktor Vasilyevich himself describes as follows:
– Every year you need to do something new. Investmentsare required, otherwise in a couple of years you will fall behind your competitors. Every year we spend about 1.5 million rubles on the development of the regional association. Now, for example, we are finishing the construction of a line for the production of cream confectionery products. Within six months we plan to make one of our large stores in Kopyl better than any chain store: we are completing renovations and replacing all refrigeration equipment. Our district administration serves about 54 thousand people in four districts - Kopylsky, Soligorsk, Uzdensky and Slutsky. We try to provide a wide selection of goods in all our 122 retail outlets, of which 105 are in rural areas, set minimum trade margins, and organize discount days and promotions.
To some extent, local consumer cooperative stores are supermarkets in rural areas, where the assortment is formed by the customers themselves through their demand. That is why on the shelves you can see not only food, but also household goods, dishes, hygiene products and office supplies.
“Hope is only in the raipo”
The immediate plans of the Kopyl raipo also include the purchase of a new auto shop. This is a matter of special importance. After all, most often only “shops on wheels” of consumer cooperation can be seen in remote villages. – We serve more than 130 villages where there are no fixed points. Sometimes the cost of gasoline spent on the road there is more than the amount of purchases made there. That is why private owners do not come to such villages, but we are obliged to do this. Indeed, in this case, the only hope is in the district council,” explains Viktor Vasilievich.
A wide assortment of Kopyl consumer cooperation can guarantee: even the goods of its own production will be enough to ensure that villagers have everything they need in their homes. And first of all - fragrant fresh bread. It is baked in the district at night so that it reaches stores by morning. Meat delicacies are also delivered there. – In 2019, we built a slaughterhouse at our own expense. Raw materials are supplied by local farms, we process them, making not only meat products, but also delicious sausages . We have our own fish shop and a corn shop where we produce corn sticks. Last year, a pickling and fermenting shop was opened on the basis of the vegetable storage facility. Already in the new season we will offer customers natural pickles and fermentations,” Viktor Vasilyevich clarified.
He notes: the emergence of a pickling and fermenting shop makes it possible to buy even more surplus crops from the villagers . After all, sometimes he is so rich that the supply exceeds the demand of the suppliers. – Procuring vegetables, berries and mushrooms during the season, as well as laying down stabilization funds, allows us to keep prices for these products affordable for buyers in the off-season. Today, private owners are guided by our prices. At the same time, the so-called soup set from consumer cooperatives is still the cheapest of all retail chains. In Kopylya there is our small store “Bulbachka”, the turnover of which shows that the buyer votes with rubles for the raipo,” notes Viktor Smusenok.
By the way, its employees also produce rather unconventional goods - nails and chain-link mesh. They say they sell out like hot cakes during the season. Including such a non-standard approach to organizing the work of almost 600 people brought the Kopyl District Pool to the forefront: all forecast indicators for last year were met, working capital amounted to 2 million rubles, and net profit - more than 1 million. What is good for the entire region? Kopylshchina is the largest district in the Minsk region and, perhaps, one of the most fertile. The local lands produce a good harvest, even despite the vagaries of nature, and the farms show one of the largest increases in milk production in the capital region. That is probably why the requirements for the development of the agricultural complex in the Kopyl region are higher. But doable. – Modernization of the industry and replenishment of the food supply are bringing results. Strengthens the economy and crop production. We are systematically optimizing livestock production facilities: we are merging small farms into a single complex with industrial milk production. In general, in the agricultural sector of the region, everything is going according to the planned trajectory: new ones are being put into operation, existing farms and complexes are being reconstructed, and the fleet of machines and mechanisms is being updated. This makes it possible to increase labor productivity and reduce production costs,” said Sergei Pilishchik, Chairman of the Kopyl District Executive Committee. Despite the fact that Kopylshchyna is an agricultural region, the source of economic growth here is investment . Such projects are especially significant because they allow not only to open production, but also to create jobs. And, as a rule, they are well paid. – During 2023, 11 investment projects were implemented in the district. Among them, three are under the “One District – One Project” program. One of these investment projects has been completed. Thanks to them, 187 new jobs with fairly high wages appeared in the area. This, in turn, leads to an increase in purchasing power, which is good for the entire region,” noted Sergei Pilishchik. Creating decent working conditions and a comfortable life, the opportunity to earn a decent living and grow professionally – this is, perhaps not obvious to some, the meaning of the President’s initiative “One District – One Project”. Those who have already managed to implement it will confirm: this is an important step towards a better future. Photo by BELTA and the newspaper "Slava Pratsy"