Starting as of early 2022 CPG (Central Plains Group – CPG) launched a new business direction – potato starch production. For the period of 2022-2023 the company has been successfully developing in terms of increased capacity and output volume. The key to efficient potato starch production is raw material — high-starch content potato varieties.

Since technical potato market in Ukraine is not sufficiently developed, in order to increase production volumes, the starch plant needs to form an appropriate raw material stock, i.e., to attract agricultural producers for cooperation: growing high- starch content potatoes on a contract basis.

A significant share of raw material is provided by local agricultural producers, micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region where the starch plant operates. The increase in potato production, short harvesting period (45 days) and limited processing capacity require temporary potato storage directly at the starch plant base. This creates a stock for continuous starch production during autumn-winter season.

To resolve this issue, CPG is starting the new project “Potato storage development to increase processing volumes and local farmers support based on LLC Strong Energy Zakhid”. The project is being implemented owing to the support of the American people provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) Program.

This project aims at constructing an energy-efficient short-term potato storage facility at LLC Strong Energy Zakhid, increasing production of high-starch potato varieties by MSMEs of Lviv region through improving conditions and period of potato storage, creating a local hub for industrial potato growing based on sustainable partnership.

The project scope includes the following:

• improving productivity and profitability of MSMEs;
• increasing the volume of potato harvesting for further processing and export of finished product;
• increasing the level of rural population employment (at least 20 MSMEs will be involved in industrial potato growing through partnership with CPG);
• construction of a new potato storage facility and purchase of new specialized equipment:
  o Ventilation system for a potato storage facility;
  o Grading system.
  o Loading elevator.