Russia Launches High-Tech Blueberry Plantation Using Digital Farming Tools
Vladimir region’s 300-hectare project marks a major step toward data-driven agriculture in Russia.
In Russia’s Vladimir region, work has begun on the country’s largest high-tech blueberry cultivation project, a first of its kind nationwide. Covering 300 hectares, the plantation will use a container-based growing method combined with a fully automated irrigation system, representing a new era of precision agriculture in the region.
Unlike traditional berry farming, the blueberries will be grown in specialized containers filled with acidic peat, perfectly suited to the crop’s needs. Each container is connected to a drip irrigation network that precisely controls moisture and nutrient levels.
The project is being developed by Argoplant, a subsidiary of the biotechnology company Generium. As Oleg Pugaev, the region’s agriculture minister, explained, the company brings a “pharmaceutical-level” approach to farming — every process is logged, and employees operate more like biotechnologists than traditional farmers. “At this stage, about one-third of the planned work has already been completed,” Pugaev said.
Robots Milk Cows, Drones Save Crops
The Vladimir region — already one of Russia’s top milk producers — is rapidly advancing toward automation in livestock farming. The local government supports agricultural enterprises through leasing programs for robotic milking systems.
The region also relies on agricultural drones to protect harvests. During this year’s unusually rainy season, when heavy equipment couldn’t enter waterlogged fields, drones helped save a significant portion of the crops.
