The owner of the farm Igor Neofitta in an interview with Agravery.com tells about the role of the state for agribusiness, its own sources of inspiration and the implementation of educational projects.

Ukraine is one of the largest producers of grain, oil and technical crops. We produce a lot of milk, meat, vegetables and fruits. But people usually know either the owners of large companies or managers of small exotic startups. But the main volumes are not produced by them, but by hundreds of medium-sized agricultural companies, large and small farmers. Together with the Ukrainian Agricultural Council, Agravery.com launches the project "The Faces of Agrarian Ukraine", where we will talk about those people who provide us and the whole world with products every day.

Igor Neofita heads the farm "Neofita" in the Kirovograd region in the village of Gaivka for 21 years. On 2500 hectares of land, he grows peas, soybeans, corn, sunflower, rape, wheat and barley.

What brought you to the agrarian business?

- I am from the Lviv region. It so happened that in the Kirovograd region I bought wheat, and at home, I was milling it and selling flour. It all began in 1997. Then I noticed that in the Kirovograd region there are a lot of unused lands, which are simply overgrown with weeds. Having talked with the Gaivka village chairman, I was provided with 60 hectares of land reserve. Then I began to lease shares to peasants, and over three years my farm grew to 2,500 hectares.

Are you doing anything other than plant growing?

- Yes. I have a mill, a wormwood and a bakery. We grow wheat of 2-3 grades, grind it on flour and bake bread. Despite the competition, we manage to deliver products to four districts of the Kirovograd region - Dobrovelychkivsky, Novoarhangelsky, Novoukrainsky and Vilshansky.

Do you think the state supports agrarians, or, on the contrary, inserts sticks in the wheel?

- Officials in our country are more harmful to agriculture than frostbite or drought. For example, let's remember "oil amendments" for soy and rape. The export VAT refund is either to be applied to all crops or it should not be at all. How can I cancel VAT refunds for these two cultures? We fought, blocked roads, and, in the end, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill on the retention of VAT refunds. However, the President still did not sign it.

Does not promote business development and lending under draconian 18-20%.

What helps you to grow your business every day, rather than staying in place, achieving good results?

- Competition motivates to move forward. But this is possible only with the help of new knowledge. I draw them from everywhere, in particular, at the workshops of the Ukrainian Agricultural Council (UAC). Every time, knowing about advanced technologies in the agroindustrial complex and modern approaches to production, I rather try to apply them in practice. In addition, my children and grandchildren make me feel extremely inspired and motivated.

Do your children work in the agrarian business? Did they choose another way?

- We have a family business. Bohdan's eldest son rebuilds the flour of the crops I grow. He is also engaged in the production of bread. Maryana's daughter is responsible for the implementation of our flour products. And my wife Halyna is engaged in gardening. Two years ago we planted 14 hectares of garden with new technologies. Hopefully, grandchildren will also be interested in our common cause when they grow up.

What do you think is your secret to success?

- In my opinion, this is not only a desire for innovation and purposefulness, but also a friendly and motivated team. It is very important to create comfortable working conditions at the enterprise. In the winter, I try to provide as many employees as possible with trips to the sanatorium for two weeks. Men who have problems with joints and backs, I send for treatment to the "Kyalnik" in Odessa, because this sanatorium specializes in diseases of the musculoskeletal system. I also help female workers, along with children, to go to rest in the summer for at least a week in the summer.

Your social work extends beyond the company?

- Yes. There are always a lot of work in the village. For example, every winter I equip two tractors with snow dumps that clear 13 km of road from Tyshkivka to Hayivka (Kirovograd region - ed.). Every year I repair it at my own expense: I buy briquettes, rent equipment and so on. I also help with the organization of concerts at the club, because I consider it necessary to develop a culture in the village.

Successful businesses can not do without skilled professionals. Do you implement educational projects to educate the future generation of agrarians?

- This summer I sent five students of the Gaivka school to the camp in Ochakov (Mykolaiv region - ed.), which was organized by the UAC, - "Future farmers of Ukraine". There senior students became more familiar with modern agrarian business, learned about the prospects of this industry. Also, eight students from this school were able to go for 12 days to the English speaking camp in Yaremche. Every year I organize excursions for the students of the castles of Zakarpattia, Lviv and various cities of Ukraine. And together with the village head he helped replace the boiler room, doors and windows in the school building.

In addition, on September 1, 2018, we want to open an agrarian lyceum class on the basis of the 10th form of Tyshkivska school №1. Accordingly, next year there will already be two such classes. In the future, I want to turn the village school into an agricultural lyceum. If I fail to do this officially, I will make every effort to ensure that children receive good knowledge of the agrarian sector in specialized camps, during excursions, seminars, etc.

Recently, you have initiated the collection of funds among farmers to help little Vadim Polintsev for treatment in Belarus. Where did you know the boy's story? How was fundraising organized?

- My friend, farmer Sergey Saus told me about this story. This is a boy from the neighboring Novoarkhangelsk region. We have never seen this child, but we decided to help him. At first, we gave the money ourselves, and then turned to the UAC community. Thus, in two days managed to raise about half a million UAH. In total Vadim needs 45 thousand dollars per transaction.

The fact is that he was initially treated in a children's regional hospital. However, the child's health deteriorated. In our country they can not fully cure it. Meanwhile, doctors in a specialized clinic in Belarus guarantee successful treatment of the boy in the presence of funds.

Why do you think it's important to take care not only about your own business but also to help people? What advice could you give to your colleagues who would also like to start investing in social development?

- My soul lays before this. I can not do otherwise. I can not pass someone else's misery. Start small: go to school or boarding school, ask teachers what they need and help. When a person is "drawn in", he/she can no longer without it. He/she is forced to help - it is laid down by nature.