The peat extraction and processing enterprise in Obol, Shumilino district, celebrates its centenary
The current production is a successor to the glorious traditions of the A. Dauman peat enterprise: industrial development of the peat deposit and raw material processing in the vicinity of Obol began in 1922.
— The gas economy of the region is a complex, branched, and technically equipped enterprise, employing over 3,000 highly qualified specialists and workers. We are successfully engaged not only in our core activities but also in non-core ones, including in the agricultural and peat industries, — said Alexander Brantsevich, General Director of UP "Vitebskoblgaz". — The peat extraction production in the urban settlement of Obol is an important component of PU "Vitebsktor". This department was established in 2015 on the basis of three peat enterprises in Shumilino, Dokshytsy, and Chashniki districts and is currently the leader in the extraction of high-moor milled peat in Belarus. In 2022, the branch won the republican competition for peat extraction, won in the nomination "Best Transport Service" among organizations of the peat industry of the GPO "BelTopGaz", and also took 2nd place in the republican review competition of production bases among teams of group II of the GPO "BelTopGaz".
Joining the region's gas industry in 2007 marked a second birthday for peat production in Shumilino: within just a few years, dilapidated buildings were modernized, equipment and machinery were updated, and 20 km of narrow-gauge railway, used for transporting raw materials from the extraction site to the processing plants, were restored. Furthermore, maximally comfortable and safe working conditions were created, and the territory was landscaped.
Currently, peat harvesting in Shumilino is carried out at two deposits, "Chistik" and "Siden", where lumpy and raised bog peat is extracted.
— The main directions are the production of nutrient soils, baled raised bog peat for export, and lumpy peat for the needs of the population and organizations in the country. According to the results of the current harvesting season, the branch as a whole has harvested 77.3 thousand tons of peat. Despite challenging foreign economic conditions, we manage to find buyers abroad. Our products are supplied to 19 countries worldwide, with almost 40% going to Russia. New sales markets have emerged, notably China, — said Vitaly Nesplyak, Director of PU "Vitebsktorf". — In the future, we plan to increase supply volumes both to other countries and to the domestic market. We will continue to work on improving the quality of peat products and promoting the "Dvina" trademark in Belarus, as well as expanding the range of peat soils produced. By the way, based on the results of 2021, our "Dvina" peat soils were among the best in the nominations "Fertilizer Producer" and "Soil Mix Producer" and became laureates of the honorable consumer recognition award "People's Brand of Belarus 2022".
Over the 15 years since the peat production facilities were integrated into UP "Vitebskoblgaz", large-scale modernization efforts have been undertaken. The total area of the fields has doubled, and peat reserves have quadrupled. This ensures the utilization of the production capacities of the processing plants for the next fifty years.
Specialists of the Vitebsktorf Production Department independently develop new energy-efficient peat extraction equipment and manufacture it in cooperation with the Berezvechye IK-13 Production Unit, which significantly reduces the cost of these units. In particular, unique pneumatic harvesting machines, wagons with extended sides, tracked trailers, cutters for producing milled peat, and tractor-mounted fire-fighting units have been developed.
The production facility in Obol employs about 50 workers, including 5 white-collar employees. In 2022, 19.6 thousand tons of peat were harvested there, which is 1.1 times more than in 2021.
— Vitebsk region is one of the leaders in the country's peat sector. We are developing a line of special equipment that is used not only in other regions but also in neighboring countries. We have mastered the extraction of various types of peat and peat soils, — noted Alexander Subbotin during his visit to the department's workshops. — It is gratifying that on its 100th anniversary, the enterprise stands firm, makes a worthy contribution to strengthening Belarus's energy security, and looks confidently into the future.
The Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Aide to the President of Belarus — Inspector for the Vitebsk Region, Anatoly Linevich, and other distinguished guests also visited the production base of the Polotskgaz Production Department in the Shumilinsk district. They presented honorary awards to the best employees in honor of the 100th anniversary of peat production. The Minister of Energy of Belarus, Viktor Karankevich, joined the congratulations. He emphasized that representatives of the country's energy sector pay close attention to the development of not only local production facilities but also the social sphere. He presented the chief physician of the Shumilinsk Central District Hospital with a certificate for the purchase of medical equipment for the Obolsk hospital of nursing care with a general practitioner's outpatient clinic.