The Sevastopol Arbitration Court considered another case regarding the return of a grant issued for the development of agriculture. However, this time the story ended successfully for the farmer – the company retained the money. Ilya Pesternikov, Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights in the city of Sevastopol, spoke about how the ostrich breeder entrepreneur managed to save grant funds.
It is worth saying that, unfortunately, there are many unsuccessful examples of using public money to create farms in Sevastopol. In particular, last year ForPost wrote about how, due to failure to comply with the terms of the grant agreement, the court ordered the owner of the ostrich farm to return the money in the village of Ternovka. Inspectors did not find either the necessary equipment or the required number of exotic birds on this farm.
Ostrich breeding in Sevastopol is also carried out in the village of Orlinom – on the Swiss Yard farm. The enterprise was also created with state support in the form of a grant worth 1.5 million rubles, but, unlike their fellow ostrich farmers from Ternivka, the owners of this farm did not violate the terms of the agreement and developed their enterprise.
A grant for the creation of an eco-farm in the Baydar Valley was issued by the authorities at the end of 2021. The business plan provided that the company would supply local retail chains with a ton of ostrich meat and 50 eggs every year.
However, last year was difficult for the Swiss Yard farm, and only 83% of the plan was fulfilled. This circumstance gave rise to the filing of a claim by the relevant department for the return of the grant.
The office of the Sevastopol Business Ombudsman helped the farmer seek justice. There, ForPost was told that the entrepreneur was hampered by unforeseen circumstances – within a month the plan was exceeded.
“The situation was really difficult: due to the death of the birds and delays in the delivery of the necessary livestock, the farmer was unable to fully comply with the terms of the grant within the agreed time frame. This led to him being required to return the funds received. We were actively involved in solving the problem because we were convinced that the entrepreneur was faced with circumstances that were beyond his control,” Ilya Pesternikov commented on the situation.
ForPost contacted farm owner Elena Fontana, who said that it was not possible to fulfill the plan 100% due to a delay in the delivery of breeding stock, as well as the unexpected death of a female ostrich from a heart attack.
“The Department of Agriculture knows that I am a conscientious grant recipient, but our bureaucratic machine, unfortunately, turned out to be completely inflexible. Of course, I would like there to be some kind of individual approach in this matter. Snatching 1.5 million from an operating successful enterprise means bankrupting it,” notes Elena Fontana.
According to the owner of the farm, despite the difficulties that have arisen, the enterprise is growing and developing.
“We are increasing the turnover of food eggs, sending a lot to the regions, because in our area ostriches begin to lay eggs earlier. We sell chickens, we want to make breeding our main focus,” the ostrich breeder shared the details.
The case when little things can become a big problem for a real business is quite typical, notes Commissioner for the Rights of Entrepreneurs Ilya Pesternikov. The Ombudsman’s Office not only advised the farmer to file a counterclaim, but also prepared all the necessary evidence and arguments. As a result, the arbitration decided in favor of the farm owner.
“Fortunately, the court understood the situation and sided with the entrepreneur. This decision is not just a victory for one farmer, it is an indicator that our support system is working and we are ready to stand for everyone who finds themselves in a difficult situation,” the business ombudsman emphasized.
The happy ending to this story can reassure other entrepreneurs who find themselves in a similar situation, says Elena Fontana.
“We also understand the Department of Agriculture – they issue a grant with certain conditions and are obliged to ensure that they are met. But the good news is that in such proceedings, decisions are made in favor of entrepreneurs,” says the owner of the eco-farm.
Alina Gromova
