OREANDA-NEWS Russian President Vladimir Putin together with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev before the meeting on the development of agriculture visited apple orchards of the agricultural enterprise "Rassvet" in the Georgievsky district of the region.

In 2016, the company laid an intensive garden on an area of more than 62 hectares, in full fruiting apple orchard will enter the fourth year of vegetation, but now, in the first year of fruiting, gives up to several kilograms of apples from one apple tree. In future, this volume will increase to 15 kilograms, and thus it will be possible to harvest up to 60 tons per hectare.

"Apple trees are small but apples are huge," the head of state noted. He came to the gardens in a minibus with the Prime Minister.

Apple trees planted in rows with an interval of 50-60 centimeters in the gardens are really small-no more than 3 meters, but the fruits are covered with bunches of trees.

It was explained that a large amount of fruit achieved through genetics: the Apple was bred in Europe 100 years ago, and in these gardens is already an improved variety called "Fujina". Some fruits reach a weight of almost half a kilogram, are stored for a long time and themselves are very juicy, told the President and the Prime Minister. Medvedev estimated the size of the fruit. He jokingly noticed that such an apple can eliminate the enemy.

Apples are stored with a stalk: this is to ensure that the apple is not sick and lay safe as long as possible.

Putin and Medvedev noted that apples seemed to be covered with some composition. Accompanying the head of state and the Prime Minister, experts explained that this is just a raid of "Stavropol natural dust" and apples can be eaten "without even wiping."

Putin asked what the market consumption of apples in the country, and heard in response that this figure is more than 3 million tons. "We have more than 14 million tons of fruit and berries consumption, and we produce: last year — 2.9 million tons, this year — a little more than 3 million tons. Here the growth potential is!"Putin said.

At the same time, the President noted that the industry has gone through a "very difficult period", painful, first of all, for consumers. "What was it? We closed imports, there was a deficit, and prices also increased. But we promised that in two-three-four years we would restore domestic production and cover the needs of the market. Well, apparently, it happened, " Putin said.

The average salary at the company "Dawn" is about 30 thousand rubles, and it is more than the national average. "If you are not lazy, you can earn up to 40 thousand", — assured the employees of the enterprise and invited Putin and Medvedev for lunch.

"Give me an apple?"- Putin asked with a smile.