Russia's Organic Movement Rises to New Level

by Rachel Childs, Winrock International, Russia

Plotskoye, which started operating in 1998, is the only processing mill in Russia to produce and process organic buckwheat. Located south of Moscow in the Kaluga region, the mill is owned by EkoNiva. Winrock volunteers Rodney and Carol Horrigan assisted EkoNiva and the cooperative ECOP (Ecological Cooperative) in August 1996. They provided technical assistance to help them develop organic oat flakes production. The Horrigans, who own a mill and specialize in organic oat processing, provided recommendations on equipment, mill design, community location, legal contracts, and other production details. 

Most importantly, the volunteers advised EkoNiva to first produce organic buckwheat instead of organic oat flakes, because the equipment needed to produce oat flakes is very expensive. Buckwheat is easier and less costly to process and produce. EkoNiva Manager Yury Vasyukov said, "Carol and Rodney told us to begin producing organic buckwheat and earn money first, so we can buy the oak flake processing equipment in the future."

Russian agriculture has weakened over the past several years. The evolution of Russian agriculture from a planned to a free market economy has been difficult. Approximately 20% of the Russian labor force is employed in agriculture, although it provided only 6% of Russia's GDP in 1996, and only 1% of government revenues in 1995.

This mill is special because while it was being constructed, many mills were going bankrupt and were closed down due to the economic turmoil in Russia. Construction of the mill began in 1995 and was completed at the end of 1997. The mill began processing and producing organic buckwheat at the beginning of 1998, selling it to wholesalers in Western Europe. Although the mill is not very big and employs only three people, it sold over 300 tons of organic buckwheat to the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Austria last year. The Europeans use the organic buckwheat to make pasta and kasha, a dish of cooked grains similar to cream of wheat. EkoNiva and the mill workers met with their clients at the Bio Fach World Organic Show. Vasyukov said, "This is an annual event held in February in Germany and is one of the most important show’s for the organic market."

Western Europe does not produce organic buckwheat because its climate is too wet and the growing season is short. Russian farmers grow the buckwheat in Kursk, Russia, where the climate is dry and the growing season is five and a half months long. Farmers do not use pesticides or artificial fertilizers when growing organic buckwheat. The mill buys the buckwheat from the farmers in Kursk, then processes and produces the organic buckwheat.

The volunteers helped solve several difficult problems. "One of the problems was the mill’s location; the ground water was too close to the mill, causing drainage and flooding problems. Carol and Rodney showed us how to construct a drainage and irrigation system around the building," said Vasyukov. "This system prevents both runoff from the surrounding hills when it rains and ground water from flooding the building." The volunteers also developed a floor plan for the mill.

The latest Russian economic crisis has not effected the Plotskoye mill. According to Vasyukov, "The crisis has helped Russian agriculture in general because it has slowed foreign companies from importing agricultural products. Now there is a demand for domestic agricultural raw materials."

Founded in 1994, EkoNiva's main activities are developing a market for organically produced food and setting up organic production standards. EkoNiva makes on-site inspections, certifying that farmers are producing organically grown crops. EkoNiva also certifies processing facilities and distributors of organic foods, and helps in the marketing of organic food and fiber.

To ensure that Russian-grown products can be traded internationally, EkoNiva follows the guidelines of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and the requirements of the United States' Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.

Once the current mill equipment is paid for, EkoNiva plans to purchase equipment for oat flake processing.  This will give even more organic farmers a new market for their products in Russia.