As part of the specialist event “Innovation and sustainability in the fruit and vegetable sector,” the cold storage facility was officially launched on September 10, 2025, amid great public interest. The cold storage facility was built on the grounds of the Illintsi Agricultural College within just 12 months as part of the “German-Ukrainian Expert Dialogue on Sustainable Development in the Fruit and Vegetable Sector” (DUALOG project). The project is part of the Bilateral Cooperation Program of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH).

The state-of-the-art facility offers optimal conditions for storing fruit and vegetables to supply the Vinnytsia region and also serves as a practical and training center for students and as a training location for specialists and farmers. It thus makes an important contribution to improving vocational training in the region’s agricultural sector and at the same time strengthens the competitiveness of agricultural businesses.

The successful project work was presented to a broad public during the specialist event. Technical presentations illustrated Ukraine’s EU accession process and the resulting conclusions for fruit and vegetable businesses. In addition, approaches to sustainable storage and processing management in the fruit and vegetable sector were presented, highlighting the role and potential of producer organizations.

The event was rounded off with proposals for better vocational training and further education in the fruit and vegetable sector in the Vinnytsia region, for which the cold storage facility can serve as a practical example. All participants emphasized that the DUALOG project, with its technical work, is making an important contribution to the sustainable development of the fruit and vegetable sector in Vinnytsia and that the cold storage facility is not only a significant investment in the region’s infrastructure, but also a symbol of successful German-Ukrainian cooperation and will make an important long-term contribution to strengthening agricultural value chains. The official inauguration of the cold storage facility is planned for a later date with high-level participation from the BMLEH.

Since January 1, 2023, the DUALOG project has been politically supported by the BMLEH and the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy, which is responsible for agriculture, as well as the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. The operational project partners are the Vinnytsia Oblast Administration, the Illintsi Agricultural College, and the Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Continuing Vocational Education in Kyiv.

Video ‘Building of cold storage facility in just 12 months’