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How many berries can you pick alone in the forest in a day and how much money can you get for it? You can't comb blueberries with a comb.

Blueberry season is in full swing. In the Brest region, this berry has already been harvested twice as much as last year, according to the 24 Hours News program on STV. Some will go for processing, some for export.

Belarusian blueberries are bought in Russia, the Baltic countries and Poland.

Ludmila Beinarovich knows the rich blueberry places better than anyone and is ready to suggest - she is not afraid of competition. A woman works as a milkmaid in the morning and in the evening. During the day he goes into the woods for a few hours. The work is hard, but there is always a profit.

Lyudmila Beinarovich, a resident of the village of Lyakhovtsy:

Even for 90 rubles per day.

At the height of the season, whole caravans walk and go for the black gifts of the forest. The villages are half empty. But the buckets, on the contrary, are filled.

The end point of this bike ride is the harvesting point. You can sell blueberries in every village. And the price - 3.70 per kilogram - motivates people quite well. It hasn't been this high in years.

Valery Kapitatchik, head of the department of the Brest Regional Consumer Union:

In order to take the maximum amount of berries from the population, we are forced to raise the price. So that people go to the forest, earn money by harvesting berries and, accordingly, leave money in our stores.

Some of the harvested berries will be processed, and some will be exported. Belarusian blueberries are still bought in Russia, the Baltic countries and Poland. Cooperators plan to prepare several times more than last summer.

Vera Mishchuk, seller of the Malorita Raipo:

They sell good blueberries. There is a leaf somewhere, but it's okay, it's a berry. She was generally beautiful. Now for two days the rain has passed a little - it has become a little wetter. And super blueberries.

Active collection in early July is also favored by the weather.

Petr Butrim, STV:

By the way, in the region a few days ago the ban on visiting forests was lifted. The doors to the berry places are now officially open. And lovers of quiet hunting are not threatened with a fine.

As a rule, Alla Kendys does not sit at home during the blueberry season. First collects for the family. Selling the rest. Roadside trade is booming. Collected per day 6-7 liters leave instantly.

Alla Kendys, a resident of the village of Leshnitsa:

Compared to last year, the harvest is, of course, excellent. People prepare, take two jars, one liter, two.

The summer blueberry boom is in full swing. And this means that even more useful berries will appear on the table of Belarusians.

“The whole day yesterday I walked through the woods with my daughter and that’s how much we scored,” an elderly woman who sells blueberries at the entrance to the market nods at a five-liter bucket. - No berries! Can't compare to last year. Then there was so much of it that they could not even collect it all. So it stayed for the winter. And now ... You are looking for blueberries like mushrooms: you pick a berry there, then there ... "

Frosts are to blame

Blueberries are on the rise this year. Per liter jar in the central market in Brest in the morning they ask for 5 rubles. If you start haggling, the sellers are offended - the berry is not easy this year. Weather anomalies had an effect: just at the time of blueberry flowering, night frosts occurred. Where they left their mark, there is no berry. In another forest and even in another clearing, the situation may be slightly better. In general, experts say that in a number of regions, including the Brest and Gomel regions, blueberry yields are 1.5-2 times lower than last year.

The cold spring delayed the ripening of wild berries. In past seasons, blueberry harvesting was already in full swing at this time, now it is just beginning. So far, procurement firms are being cautious and keeping the purchase price within the range of 2-2.3 rubles per kg. A year ago, they also started with two rubles, but then the prices went down sharply and reached 1.5 rubles by the second half of July. This year, the situation may be reversed.

Exporters expect prices to rise

Similarly, prices for blueberries of the new crop have not yet formed in European markets. It is there that most of the frozen Belarusian berries go. “Europe is waiting for proposals,” explains Anton, a specialist in foreign economic activity of one of the Brest commercial firms engaged in harvesting wild plants. - And the first proposal will come from Ukraine. Prices are already beginning to form there, and we see that they will be higher than last year. Then Ukraine, due to the high harvest of blueberries, was desperately dumping. This cold has touched her too. There are few blueberries on the plains. It will be in the Carpathians, but later.”

Last year, blueberries brought an unpleasant surprise to exporters: prices for blueberries on world markets plummeted. A few years ago (for example, in 2011) they were 2.5-3 euros per kg, and in mid-July 2016 they fell to 1.3-1.5 euros. It is about the unpeeled berry, experts emphasize. This is what we mainly export. In Belarus, there is practically no equipment (they say it is terribly expensive) that allows you to clean and calibrate blueberries in size. It is after such a “finishing” that it goes to manufacturers of yoghurts, jams and other appetizing products. The finalization of the berry is mainly carried out by Poland and the Baltic countries, and the price for it is already completely different.

Select last year's stocks

However, Belarusian exporters also made good money on blueberries, if they correctly calculated the strategy of European producers and large chains. Those can act in two ways: either purchase all the volume of berries necessary for the year at once, or during the year acquire small batches necessary for operational work, if they are sure that the already harvested and frozen berries will not go anywhere from them. It is difficult to say what strategy they will choose this year and who will determine it - suppliers or consumers.

Russia can also influence prices on world markets, experts say. Our eastern neighbor consumes this berry in large volumes, but also exports it no less. Last year it was frozen so much that they still could not sell it all. And knowledgeable people estimate these reserves as “very large”. According to them, now Russia offers last year's peeled and calibrated berries for 1.9-2 euros per kg. Our exporters hope that this situation will continue for at least another two weeks, until the stocks run out and the berry of the new crop goes in large quantities. There aren't many of them this year. “And on demand, skillfully, you can triple the price,” says Anton.

Earn "for cheese and sausage"

However, for ordinary consumers, that is, you and me, the current prices for fresh blueberries seem to be “ceiling”. 5 rubles per liter jar is about 8 rubles (4 euros!) per kg. And therefore, no matter how hard this berry is collected, it makes sense to go to the forest for it. 65-year-old Anna Ivanovna from the regional center closest to Brest knows this firsthand. With the onset of the blueberry season, she spends every day in the forest and knows the berry places. It does not sell to producers and does not sell on the market. The woman has her own wide circle of customers, to whom she sells berries this year for 4 rubles per liter jar. “The pension is small, and so I earn for myself cheese and sausage,” Anna Ivanovna explains. If you believe her, since the beginning of the season she has already earned about 100 rubles from blueberries.

Video by Nikolay CHEBERKUS

The specialists of the Ministry of Forestry and scientists spoke about the culture of collecting forest gifts.

Recently, the editorial office received an anonymous appeal from readers:

« In the countryside, people have always survived on land and forests. For example, harvesting blueberries is hard work. People work from 5 am until late at night in the forest. For some, this is the only source of livelihood, for others - an additional increase in family budget. But then there were some rules for collecting wild mushrooms and berries. In most cases, we collect blueberries with the help of combs, so people are fined for this. But these methods were collected by our grandfathers, fathers, and now we are. Blueberry from this did not become less. On the contrary, after you comb it, it grows even better. But some scientist, without leaving Minsk, drew up these collection rules. For some reason, in other countries, collecting a comb is legal. Some recommend cutting mushrooms, while others recommend picking them. When cutting, the remaining root rots and the entire mycelium deteriorates, and when you pluck it, the mycelium is also broken. Who is right in this case? Please provide assistance in revising the rules for collecting wild mushrooms and berries for large cities and for rural areas».

To understand the situation, the portal site turned to specialists for clarification.

collect by law

According to the Ministry of Forestry, annually up to 50 thousand tons of berries and fruits and about 60 thousand tons of edible mushrooms. Their collection is regulated by the Forest Code of Belarus. By the way, the new version of this document came into force on December 31, 2016. According to Article 44, citizens have the right to freely be in the territory of the forest fund and, without permits, collect wild berries, mushrooms, fruits, nuts and other forest resources (except for wood) for their own needs free of charge. The exception is those areas where the collection of forest gifts is prohibited by law.

There are no time limits: when they appear, you can go to the forest. The dates for the start of the collection are annually set only for lingonberries and cranberries and are regulated by decisions of the regional executive committees. Information about this is freely available on the official websites of the executive committees, published in the media, etc.

The leaders in the resources of fruit and berry plants in Belarus are Minsk (28%) and Gomel (26%) regions. In general, in the country, the largest reserves were noted for blueberries (33 thousand tons) and cranberries (11.2 thousand tons). We have the least mountain ash (1.1 thousand tons) and blueberries (1.3 thousand tons).

The most economically significant today are blueberries, cranberries, blueberries and lingonberries. By the way, the first two berries are in the lead in terms of harvesting volumes - up to 5 thousand and 1 thousand tons annually. In addition, people collect wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, stone berries and some other berries.

There are more than 200 species of edible mushrooms in Belarusian forests. It is legally allowed to collect more than 50 of them. But in fact, less than 20 species are harvested, including porcini, real chanterelle, boletus, boletus, butterdish, camelina, yellow breast, black breast, pink wave.

“The most important thing to remember is that you can only collect wild berries in ways that do not harm berry growers and do not lead to their destruction,” the Ministry of Forestry noted. - If special devices are used for this, they must comply with the mandatory requirements established by technical regulatory legal acts in the field of technical regulation and standardization. And mushroom pickers are forbidden to rake the forest litter.

You can't comb blueberries with a comb

In the world, the issue of using various devices for collecting forest gifts is approached differently.

“For example, in the Scandinavian countries, and in particular in Finland, collection with combs is allowed. True, those that are approved for industrial use, - said associate professor of the Department of Tourism, Nature Management and Game Science of BSTU, Candidate of Biological Sciences Yadviga Shaporova. “In Lithuania, the use of such devices is also allowed, but in Latvia it is no longer.”

In many respects, everything depends on the stocks available in the country and the collection culture. For example, in the same Finland, during the season, the forests are black from the abundance of blueberries. For the industrial harvesting of such a quantity of berries, even seasonal workers are invited from other countries, including Belarus. And the comb in this case is an ordinary working tool. Moreover, for in the forest and on the household plot ( and in Finland blueberries and lingonberries are cultivated in large quantities. - Note. ed.) different devices are used.

We have the same volume of berries at times less. According to Yadviga Shaporova, in the 1990s, due to the continuous use of combs, some Belarusian forests were bare. As a result, an ecological desert formed there for several years.

“I remember these blueberries, which stood without foliage at all. And all because combs of homemade handicraft were used. The berries were taken inaccurately, pulling out the plant right with the roots, - the specialist added. - It is worth recognizing that our people do not have a careful attitude to nature. In Europe, though with combs, they are harvested carefully, holding each plant.”

Scientists explain: only certified combs and other devices can be safely used in natural conditions. In Belarus, the specialist has not yet met a single organization that would sell certified goods of this kind. Although there are specialists in the country who could carry out certification, there are no orders for this service. The question may arise: why is it impossible to sell Russian or Finnish combs here? And here, again, everything is determined by the difference in berry resources.

“As for the positive effect of “combing” blueberries with a comb, this is not true. The problem with this collection method is that it damages the buds of renewal, from which new shoots appear, - explained Yadviga Alexandrovna. “It is best to take the berry by hand, but carefully, without damaging the plant.”

On a "silent hunt" - with a knife

Mushrooms can be harvested in two ways: cut and twisted. The main thing is not to damage the mycelium. So don't pull too hard on the mushroom, break the integrity of the forest floor, i.e. rake it with your feet or a rake. Due to changes in the thermo- and hydro-mode, the mycelium may die.

“Especially often I watched people go to the forest with a rake for chanterelles. Having collected everything that is noticeable, people opened the litter and chose very small chanterelles, - said Yadviga Shaporova. “Therefore, the Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus prepared proposals, and the Ministry of Natural Resources adopted relevant recommendations that chanterelles with a hat of at least 2 cm should be collected. Such a mushroom is already visible on the forest floor, and it will not have to be raked.”

In practice, people often go on a "silent hunt" with a knife. Not everyone can properly unscrew the mushroom. But the opinion that the part of the leg remaining after cutting begins to rot and leads to damage to the mycelium is erroneous.

Irina YANUSHKEVICH

Photo by Vitaly Gil

The first harvest occurs on average at the end of June. The largest number useful microelements are contained in the first fruits, subsequent fruits are collected directly for freezing and long-term storage. The fact that the berry is ready for harvest will be indicated by the color of the berry, the aroma and its taste.

The second harvest comes in mid-July. It is very important to pick berries on time, because an early harvest does not have all the useful properties, and when harvested late, the berry shrinks and quickly deteriorates.

The blueberry harvest this year will be much lower than in previous years, the weather conditions are to blame. Blueberries do not tolerate cold well, and their flowering period promises to be cool.

The berry has a very large amount useful properties. It contains many trace elements, vitamins (C, K, E, B vitamins, including a rare vitamin B4 responsible for the functioning of the liver), ascorbic acid, strong, zinc, manganese, and iron. Berries also contain macronutrients such as calcium, potassium, sodium, chlorine and many others. Due to the high content of calcium, it is recommended to expectant mothers, as blueberries will perfectly form the skeletal system of a child in the womb. It contains lactic, pantothenic and succinic acids, necessary for the human body to cleanse the intestines.

It is worth noting that blueberries are nutritious with sugar and water. The use of this berry is useful even for people suffering from diabetes. Dried blueberry leaves in the form of a decoction perfectly support the normal blood sugar content of diabetics, reduce headaches, serve as an excellent dietary product. Due to its high fiber content, the berry suppresses appetite and contains a small amount of calories.

Blueberries have antioxidant properties, remove toxins from the human body. It perfectly tightens various wounds, treats skin diseases.

Blueberries are useful not only for their berries, but also for foliage. More often it is dried and prepared decoctions and tinctures. Blueberries are used for diseases such as acute respiratory infections and tonsillitis. Blueberries increase the immunity of the human body, it is often used to prevent tumors. The berry has anti-inflammatory properties of the gallbladder and genitourinary system, kidneys.

Rules for harvesting blueberries in Belarus in 2019

Starting this year, when harvesting blueberries in the forests of Belarus, it should be taken into account that the decree on the tax cost of harvesting forests has come into force. For one kilogram
for these blueberries, you will have to pay 22 kopecks. The resolution has not been finalized, because the Ministry of Forests is still considering amendments and additions. The tax will be imposed on the group of persons who plan to harvest on an especially large scale. People who collect berries in small quantities for personal use will not be affected by taxation.

Collection rules:

Never pick berries near factories or highways to eliminate the risk of poisoning.
Do not pick unripe berries - these are not tomatoes, they will not ripen.
When harvesting, do not use piercing and cutting objects that can harm the berries and the bush itself - this will reduce its yield in the future.
Start from the aerial part and gradually rise higher to the crown.
Collect blueberries in a basket or basket to keep them intact.
Fresh berries should be stored only in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight.

Talk about the fact that blueberries improve vision has not been fully studied, here the opinion of doctors differs. Yes, blueberries support vision, but whether it restores is still unknown. With tired eyes, it is useful to eat a handful of berries, because they will improve the microcirculation of the retina, strengthen the capillaries of the eyes, enhance clarity and visual acuity.

There are not so many blueberries in the markets of Gomel now, but beautiful wild berries have already appeared in the malls.

A sixty-year-old resident of the regional center, who introduced herself as Tatyana Nikolaevna, was the first to bring blueberries to the mini-market on Kozhara Street. For a two-hundred-gram glass of berries he asks for 2 rubles.

“There are far fewer blueberries this year than even last year. And they are small. There were frosts in May. The orchards were seized, and the blueberries, apparently, got it - the berries were also blooming at that time. Collected in the forest near the railway stop "Chanterelles" - this is in the direction of Chernihiv.

The woman says that she walked through the forest for about six hours until she collected a 5-liter bucket. Forced to collect even small blueberries and take them to the market, as "It's still a long time to wait for a pension - it's in the middle of the month."

“Yes, what kind of pension is 250 rubles, - Tatyana complains. - I worked as a dispatcher at Gomeloblavtotrans, they classified us as employees and determined such a pension. Until I wait for her, then, maybe, at least I will earn bread and milk on berries.

Tatyana Nikolaevna herself and her neighbor on the sales counter praise blueberries: they are supposedly good for vision, digestion, and the cardiovascular system.

I agree with the disclaimer: "This is when blueberries are without radiation."

"I checked, 32 units, and the norm is 185",- says the berry picker.

On the label of the laboratory of the Aerodrome mini-market, which refers to the city veterinary station, it is really written: “Norm 185 Bq / kg”. Correctly write: allowable level 185 becquerels per kilogram, not the norm. Otherwise, it looks like there is allegedly not enough radiation in blueberries.

At the station market wild berries trades villager Anatoly from the village of Kravtsovka. His berries are cheaper: for a glass - 1 ruble 50 kopecks.

He doesn't want to show the label for checking blueberries for radiation, he even gets angry: "What for? They said it was normal."

The villager also goes to the forest to get some kind of pension increase. Anatoly has even less - only 200 rubles. The interlocutor worked at the Sozh plant as a disinfector.

"This is our life, the villager says although some people think that pensioners are better off.”

At the Central Market, blueberries are sold in three places. The price is the same for everyone: a glass - 2 rubles. Many buyers come up, ask for a price and leave. Expensive.

Peter and his wife sell both strawberries and blueberries:

“We collected it in the forest outside the village of Pribor, checked it for radiation, you can sell it. People take on dumplings or just feast on. The price may be high, but there are few blueberries in the forest. Consider this the first. There will be more blueberries, prices will fall - this is the law of the market.”

Three decades after Chernobyl, the inhabitants of the region began to be more sensitive to berries and mushrooms. At least in the markets they try not to buy "gifts of the forest" that have not been tested in the laboratory.