The first 324 tons of apples have been stored in the new cold storage facility of the Tolochin Cannery

November 6, Tolochin District / Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. The first 324 tons of apples have been stored in the new fruit storage facility of RUP "Tolochin Cannery". The official opening ceremony of the facility took place today at the industrial horticulture unit of the enterprise, a BELTA correspondent reports. The storage facility is designed to hold 2.4 thousand tons of fruit. Modern controlled atmosphere technology creates conditions under which apples and pears can be stored until the next harvest without losing their consumer properties. Tolochin gardeners mastered new methods of work together with scientists from the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. About Br10 billion was invested in the construction of the facility in accordance with the state program for the development of horticulture for 2006-2010. As Anatoly Anyukhovsky, director of the Tolochin Cannery, told reporters, the enterprise planted an orchard in 2005. The current harvest is the first. Gardeners harvested 498 tons of apples, of which 65 tons have already been sold in the retail network of Vitebsk, 109 tons have been processed, and the rest have been stored. In addition to apple and pear orchards, the enterprise has planted berry patches, which yielded 496 tons of berries this year. In the near future, the plant intends to purchase a shock freezing line and refrigerators for storing this type of product. Already next year, the enterprise hopes to fully supply the population of the Vitebsk region with apples from its own orchard. Based on the results of the 9-month work this year, the production growth rate at the enterprise at comparable prices was 106.7% compared to the level of January-September 2008. Production profitability was 9%, and net profit reached Br700 million. The plant is a budget-forming enterprise of the Tolochin district. It specializes in the production of fruit and grape wines, potato starch, and pasta. Starch is exported to Russia. The total number of employees is 450 people. -0-