Crops of the winter barley, ploughed by the tractors of raiders

Shoots of barley winter crops of “Gorbani” agricultural cooperative ploughed by raider tractors in a field near Gorbani village of the Pereyaslav – Hmelnytskyi region of the Kyiv Oblast on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. According to the statement of representative of public of Chopilka village and Gorbani village Svitlana Onoprienko, starting from July, 2008 Gorbani AIC, which unites near 800 residents of Chopilka village and Gorbani village, goes through raider attacks from the side of power of the region and village, and also from the side of one commercial structure. 3000 hectares of black earth, which were distributed among peasants of “Progress” CAC in 1996, which later was re-registered into Gorbani AIC, is a tasty morsel. During the registration certificates for land did not receive cadastral numbers and it make their owner an easy target. As of today the minimal market price of this land is 200 dollars for 100 square metres (minimal cost of 3,000 hectares is 60 million dollars), which makes up about USD 75 thousand per capita. It is an average price of a 1-room apartment in Kyiv. But when not allotted, it is quite a large amount. Regional authorities recommended to the enterprise, which enters to top 10 most profitable enterprises, an investor, who is about to sow the black earth with stern cultures, particularly, with rape. The fist raider attack took place on August 16, 2008 and it was parried by participants of Gorbani AIC. The next attack took place on March 27, 2009. Raiders with their tractors ploughed up sprouts of winter barley and wheat crops. They do not give a possibility to carry out spring sowing campaign, blocking the tractors of Gorbani, which leads to ravage of profitable enterprise. According to the words of agricultural company, they are constantly subjected to threats of physical violence. Ukraine has created such conditions for farmers that it is more profitable for them to spoil the land by the plants draining it over several years having received super profit and being not answerable for this than to work with the prospect for future, preserving the black-earth – national wealth of Ukraine. Photo UNIAN