Personnel Day: Nikolai Sherstnev approved the extension of the contract for the director of the agricultural enterprise "Vydreya"

Perhaps, never before in the history of personnel days have they been held considering issues related to only one candidate. It was in this format that the current one took place. At stake is the approval of the contract extension for the director of the agricultural enterprise "Vydreya" of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railways, Kirill Prudnikov. And the agenda is preceded by economic and managerial miscalculations on the part of both the agricultural enterprise and its investor.

For this reason, a month ago, at one of the personnel days, the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, postponed the consideration of this issue – the results of the organization's work received an unsatisfactory grade. For several years, "Vydreya" has not been able to achieve positive dynamics in production and economic indicators. And they are below the regional average. There are many weaknesses. This year, the yield of grain and leguminous crops in barn weight was 27 centners per circle. The manager is instructed: to get more, you need to sow on time, fertilize, and carry out the necessary protective measures.

There are a number of shortcomings in animal husbandry as well. The average daily weight gain of cattle does not reach even 500 grams, the average milk yield is about three and a half thousand kilograms. According to specialists' calculations, the agricultural enterprise loses about 2 tons of milk per day. And this product is a stable source of income throughout the year. Milk yield concentrates everything: work with the herd, a strong feed base. Such breakdowns according to the scheme of technologies and regulations are forced to be made by regional managers to show where money is lost and why the agrarian economy is limping. The verdict is as follows: the agricultural organization is "stuck" in the grip of a deficit of enterprise, competent specialists. Insufficient work on the part of the investor – the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railways – is also indicated, which, according to the participants of the personnel day, is only involved in extinguishing urgent issues, rather than making real investments in the development of the agricultural enterprise. As a result, there is no proper return, states the head of the region.

As an example of competent management, Nikolai Sherstnev cites a number of organizations under the wing of the investor,

which at the same time demonstrate decent results. Among them is "Mazolovogaz". When the decision was made to merge it with UP "Vitebskoblgaz", only two thousand kilograms of milk were milked from each cow here, and 20 centners of grain were harvested per hectare. A year later, the herd productivity and crop yield increased by almost two times. Today, according to these and many other indicators, the farm has significantly strengthened its position, therefore it is at the top of the agricultural rating. The secret of success was shared by the Deputy General Director for Industrial and Agricultural Production of UP "Vitebskoblgaz" Konstantin Pochepko, who was invited to the personnel day.

According to him, "Mazolovogaz" has learned to work with profit. The investor also lends a hand, investing funds primarily in the construction of livestock facilities and the purchase of equipment. And this pays off with a solid increase in production. The enterprise values every kilogram of milk obtained. The use of robots in work only increases the efficiency of agricultural production. In particular, for 11 months of the current year, the average milk yield per cow was 8401 kilograms. In general, "white gold" accounts for over 70 percent of the revenue structure. In addition, the farming culture is improved annually in the farm, which allows for consistently good harvests. New methods and developments are actively being introduced. Much emphasis is placed on digital technologies, which have become a good support for farmers. As Konstantin Pochepko noted, "Mazolovogaz" will become a production site where elements of precision farming technology will be honed with the support of the relevant laboratory of the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy. The enterprise is interested in attracting promising young labor. That is why cooperation with leading educational institutions of the region and the country does not stop. Students, in parallel with their studies, can learn about the possibilities of modern agricultural production and practice. Emphasis is also placed on labor motivation through an attractive system of material incentives. Professionals in their field

those interested in the final result and increasing performance indicators can earn up to two thousand Belarusian rubles. The chairman of the regional executive committee calls for all these approaches to be projected into the activities of "Vydra".

The decision to agree to Kirill Prudnikov's contract extension was not easy: the opinions of the participants of the personnel day were divided – and each, presenting their arguments "for" or "against", was right in their own way. Nikolai Sherstnev put the final point in the discussion. The signature of the head of the region in the "approved" column became equivalent to a chance given to the manager to prove his ability to make a qualitatively new breakthrough within a year and to bring rhythm to the enterprise's work in all directions. One of the strategic moments on this path will be the economic development program of the farm created by the order of the chairman of the regional executive committee. It includes tactical steps: from the construction of a new farm to the purchase of fertilizers and equipment. The implementation of its points should be elevated to a cult. It is also necessary to increase volume indicators by expanding agricultural land areas. Today's three thousand hectares are not enough for profitable production, is confident the first deputy chairman of the committee for agriculture and food of the regional executive committee Vladimir Mashero.

Nikolai Sherstnev aims for Kirill Prudnikov to act not spontaneously, but according to a systematic plan. The development of leadership qualities, personal responsibility, and self-discipline will be very useful – the team will follow him. And this means that today the enterprise with its weaknesses can become a flagship of agricultural production tomorrow.

Olga BULAVKA,
Chief Specialist
Main Department of Ideological Work
and Youth Affairs
Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.