Investment Portal of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation
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A visit to the farm

Russian Arctic Zone resident project has become the best family business open to tourists

06.04.2022 // The 'Fermerskaya Sloboda' (lit. The Farmer's Sloboda) guesthouse is familiar to many residents of the Arkhangelsk region. It makes healthy goat milk products and holds eco-tours for guests who want to learn first-hand about village life and spend time with the animals.

In April 2022 the family company was included in the top 30 businesses in Russia by the results of the Industrial Tourism Accelerator and became the winner in the category 'The best family business open to tourists'.

As the owner of the guest farmstead, Vladimir Budeikin, points out, this victory is an important event, but there is still a lot to be achieved: the project, which 'Fermerskaya Sloboda' is running as a resident of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation under an agreement with the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (FEDC), will allow the company to reach a new level. The project was implemented in the small village of Levkovka near Arkhangelsk, with no other businesses on the area.

Photo from the archive of Budeikin V. V.

Initially Vladimir had planned to raise chickens and rabbits for meat, but then decided to go into dairy goat farming, and, at the same time, rural tourism. Today, the farm has 70 milking goats and a small milk processing plant. It produces condensed milk, as well as soft and semi-hard cheeses.

About 5 million rubles was spent to buy the farm, special equipment for pasteurising milk and cheese-making, and a water purification unit. Total investments of the AZRF resident in the investment project will amount to 8.1 million rubles.

In the near future, the investor plans to increase the herd to at least 200 goats and expand the range of products under the brand 'Fermerskaya Sloboda' by launching the production of cottage cheese and yogurt. Vladimir believes that the tax incentives provided to the residents to the AZRF will be a good support in the implementation of the project.

Photo from the archive of Budeikin V. V.

Vladimir also plans to renovate the car park and pedestrian walkways, redecorate guest houses, build a cafe, and eventually create a full eco-park with thematic areas, which in the future will occupy an area of 4 hectares.