To mitigate the risks of the May drought, we installed an underground drip irrigation system. This works by placing the tape 20-25 cm deep directly into the root zone. This saves up to 40% of water compared to surface irrigation and delivers water directly to the bulb.
Irrigation increases the yield of premium garlic fraction up to 92%
22 June 2026, 08:00 404
A farm in the Kyiv region specializing in growing winter garlic increased the yield of the premium 55+ mm fraction to 92% from 60%, reduced crop losses during storage from 20% to 3% thanks to a forced ventilation system, reduced water consumption by 40%, and fertilizer consumption by 25% due to precision fertigation.
This is noted by the head Kyrylo Zhabin.
According to him, by the time the innovations were introduced, the farm found itself in a situation where the traditional model of garlic cultivation had become economically unprofitable and operationally impossible.
In particular, two critical factors were encountered here:
- Climatic destabilization, where winter garlic was critically dependent on moisture in the clove formation phase (May-June). Recent years have been problematic, when «May droughts» and abnormally high temperatures were observed. Traditional non-irrigated farming resulted in the garlic head remaining small (35-40 mm fraction), which is not marketable for supermarkets. The result was the loss of access to premium sales markets and a low selling price.
- Low quality of pre-sale preparation. The farm knew how to grow the product, but could not present it correctly. The problem was the lack of specialized equipment for drying and calibration, which forced the garlic to be sold «from the field» to intermediaries at a minimum price (often below cost), because the product quickly lost its marketable appearance without professional storage.
Kyrylo Zhabin, farmer
In addition, a storage facility with a drying system was created by converting the roof of the house into a warehouse equipped with ventilation walls for forced air circulation. Previously, garlic was dried in bundles under sheds. Now it is dried in containers for 48-72 hours using powerful fans and dehumidifiers. This stops the development of diseases immediately after harvesting.
Kyrylo Zhabin, farmer
We received a premium quality product with bright, clean scales, ready to be stored for up to 6-8 months without losing mass.
For reference: Farming is a finalist of the All-Ukrainian competition POWER OF AGROCHANGES in the nomination Profitable Niche.
The competition is organized by the online publication AgroPortal.ua with the support of the AGRO Program, funded by the US Government and implemented by Chemonics International.
Alla Stryzheus, AgroPortal.ua