Asparagus business thanks to a microgrant: the success story of “Zmiivske” Farm
Margarita Chepelyuk from the “Zmiivske” farming enterprise didn’t give up after her first rejection in the “Own Business” grant program. She carefully analyzed the feedback, improved her business plan, and reapplied — this time successfully.
The farm received nearly 500,000 hryvnias to develop its asparagus production line.
“When we got the rejection, it was a bit disappointing,” Margarita admits. “But I realized that if you don’t give up, everything can be fixed. We corrected our mistakes, reworked the business plan, and applied again. And it paid off!”
“Zmiivske” is a modern agricultural enterprise with years of experience and a solid reputation. It’s also a family business: Margarita’s father runs the farm, while she works as the chief accountant. For over a decade, the enterprise has been steadily growing in the agricultural market.
The farm’s main specialization is the cultivation of grain, legumes, and oilseed crops. It leases about 700 hectares of land in the Zmiiv community of the Chuhuiv district, where it grows winter wheat, barley, corn, and sunflower.
“Zmiivske” is well equipped for efficient work: it has storage facilities, a grain cleaning complex, a mechanical workshop, an office, and modern machinery. This allows the farm to maintain consistent product quality and efficiently manage all production processes.
“We aim not just to stay afloat but to grow,” Margarita says. “That’s why we decided to take advantage of government support. The new asparagus project is our step forward — a chance to diversify production and find our place in a promising sector.”
With the grant funds, the farm purchased asparagus seedlings, a drip irrigation system, a main hose, emitter tape, a disc filter, and other equipment. The seedlings have already been planted, and before winter, the stalks were trimmed and covered.
The project also created two new jobs — for an agronomist and a mechanical engineer.
“We see great potential in asparagus cultivation. It’s a crop in demand both in Ukraine and abroad. Supermarkets, restaurants, and exporters are all interested in it. The key is to work with quality and passion,” Margarita shares.
You can apply for the “Own Business” grant program through the Diia portal: https://diia.gov.ua/services/grant-na-vlasnu-spravu
If you have additional questions about participating in the grant program, contact the specialists of the Kharkiv Regional Employment Center branches and their structural divisions at https://surl.li/lsbszp or call the regional employment service hotline, which operates Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:00, at 0800 219 729.
With support Kharkiv Regional Employment Service
