Entrepreneur has discovered a lucrative niche in Ariogala: although I do not feel hands or feet, everything is worth it

I realized an old dream

The main activity of M. Vitkauskas is the roofing business, and agriculture, as they say, is a pleasure that also brings him additional income. The man studied sports and had to become a physical education teacher, but life turned him away. According to him, he chose to study only because of environmental pressures, and without completing his work, he started in the roofing business. Later, when he saw that it was a huge niche, he decided to try this business with his own fur.

“Everyone around me said about this idea, like with the asparagus farm – take no chances, good job, sure, who do I need it for? Delphi). Now I can say who needs it, so I can feel completely free, ”says the businessman.

Since the man had land near the house, he also dreamed of farming for some time, but he hesitated and kept the dream.

“We had some land, the dream of a farm was rolling 10 years ago, we just kept moving it. A fall we pressed and we did. The economy is not a business, a hobby, more a distraction. Others go on a trip and we we traveled to the countryside, ”he says.

The interviewee remembers wanting to grow something non-standard, not like everyone else, so he had to find a niche. Asparagus once bought from a simple supermarket prompted the idea of ​​an asparagus farm.

“I had to cook a steak with asparagus and I really liked it. Such trifles gathered and pushed towards that place. (…) Quality in a supermarket, compared to what we grow ourselves, like day and night. How to compare porcelain and plastic dishes: the image is the same, you can drink it, but only up to a certain point ”, compares the farmer.

They don’t want to cooperate with the main networks.

When asked if he does not plan to cooperate with large retail chains, M. Vitkauskas says there is such a possibility, but he does not consider it.

“There is a possibility, but technically it is not worth much, there are different requirements. We can “squeeze” the necessary amount of asparagus – I have gathered asparagus growers, they used to be single – who grow one hectare, every 50 hectares. Now, together, we can “squeeze” large amounts if necessary, but everyone says “no” by agreement, because another price is coming out and we want to sell directly to the final person, “he says.

“There are those growers who have been growing asparagus for a long time, but the strangest thing was that, before we got together in a pile, the first growers were very stubborn, they did not share information, it was difficult to get it. We found it on Russian websites, we found it through acquaintances in the Netherlands, ”he adds.

According to the farmer, this year around 50 ha of asparagus were declared throughout Lithuania, the Marius field occupies only a small part, up to 1 ha. It is said that two people are enough to maintain such an area, and a larger area, say, with a couple of hectares of land, would already need more hands. Today, family and friends help the farmer to turn around in the field.

“The seedlings come from the Netherlands. Let’s say you know that today they were loaded, transported with the refrigerator, and you know that the next day you will have to plant, I will call for help and we will go to work ”, he smiles.

Low maintenance required

Marius’s asparagus field is located a few kilometers from his home in Ariogala. So far it’s empty and waiting for the season to start, it starts in May and lasts just two months before Saint John’s Day.

“At the beginning of May, if the weather is good, the asparagus begins to germinate. At first, after a while, because the weather is still cold, the nights are cool, so the growth is slower. And in the second half of the season, you can harvest almost every day.

We don’t harvest the first two or three years. When you sow it in the first year, it is practically as if you could harvest it, but the plant is going to suffer a lot ”, explains Marius.

As they say, asparagus requires relatively little maintenance. Water can cause most of the difficulties in growing them.

“The base is the flooded places, if the spring floods, that is the only thing that hurts them. At first we were wrong because we were in a hurry: when we started work, after half a year we sowed, and now we plan the development for the second year, we kill weeds, prepare the soil, raise the amount of humus, etc. to make things natural. If the soil is not prepared, the main fight is with the grass ”, says M. Vitauskas.

I had fears

“We have tried a lot with our fur. Others are afraid to experiment, and we carefully test the sowing method,” he adds.

An entrepreneur starting to farm admits he was afraid of how to sell the products. As it turned out, the first harvest was over, as there were many orders. To gather the first circle of customers, it was enough to know acquaintances and messages on Facebook.

According to the interlocutor, the most difficult work is the asparagus harvesting, because at the moment there is no technology developed to help the harvest, only manual work. True, asparagus seedlings are perennial, one seedling can produce 15 years. Asparagus gives the highest yield, as the farmer says, from 4 to 5 to 11 years.

“After bringing it in, we sort it, cut the ends, wash the floor, drain it. And when traveling to clients, the bottom should be about a couple of inches to soak in and not lose your weight. To maintain freshness for longer, it can be stored in a refrigeration room, where, at about 2-3 degrees, in such an environment with a certain humidity, the asparagus last for a couple of weeks ”, he explains how asparagus retain their freshness.

M. Vitkauskas sells asparagus online: in Kaunas, orders are transported and shipped to other cities via bus shipments.

The interviewer also names the prices, which vary depending on the time of season. At first, a kilogram of asparagus costs – about 12-14 euros, in the middle of the season – 8-10 euros, and during peak hours the price can drop to 5-6 euros per kilogram. Normally, a package of asparagus weighs 0.5 kg.

It can be an important source of income.

Entrepreneur encourages young people to start growing asparagus. According to him, this is not a hard and really profitable job. Although at the end of the season the man does not feel his hands or his legs, but everything is worth it, he smiles.

“From a seedling, in the worst conditions, you can get about 100 grams, and in the best conditions, about 500 g of asparagus. Let’s calculate: from 10 thousand. The seedlings can be obtained from one ton to 5 tons of asparagus, and when they are converted into money, you can get 10,000 too much ”, smiles Marius.

To start growing asparagus, the interlocutor estimates that 10,000 per hectare would be needed. Initial investment in euros. They also depend on the type of seedling.

“It is possible to buy a class A seedling for a quantity, class B, half as cheap. However, if you buy a smaller seedling, you lose years of harvest, you are likely to carry diseases. We already tried both options, we saw the difference ”, He assures.

The farmer assures that he knows many asparagus growers, for whom it is the main source of income: “If one person had 3 hectares, the whole family can really survive. Some farmers in Ukmergė have around a couple of hectares and are fully surviving ”.

Planning expansion but facing a problem

When asked if the first investment paid off, M. Vitauskas answers from two sides: “If I count the work done and everything else, maybe not yet. But according to the math, after the first good season, the farm should “be at zero.” After the second season – really a “plus”.

“Now we are installing a cold room – again, extra money, because you want to be something superior to the others, you don’t count that. We do everything without any support, everything is done from an idea, without any commitment. Other farmers said, “Stupid, at least give it a try,” he adds.

The businessman has plans to expand the farm, the ground is already being prepared, but this year he faces a shortage of seedlings. I don’t know if it is due to a pandemic or other reasons.

“There is nowhere to buy quality asparagus seedlings. This year we wanted to expand the area to the same extent, but we no longer succeed. Usually a month or two ago a Dutch farmer could reserve a certain number of seedlings of a certain variety, and as of September this is not possible. If we book today, we could get it elsewhere for next season at best, but the price difference is about 6 to 8 times, “he notes.