Business services in the countryside

Kuopio has clean lakes, jobs and lots. Enchanting nature, diverse housing and high-quality local services and leisure opportunities are our wealth. Kuopio’s countryside has room for creativity, community and new residents.

The business service of the city of Kuopio is based on active customer-oriented activities. In the city’s economic development measures, all industries are taken into account. The establishment and growth of companies is promoted by utilizing the city’s entire range of services and business service networks and using different experts. Business plots can be found in all municipal centers, Juankoski (including Pihkainmäki), Maaninka, Nilsiä, Riistavesi and Vehmersalmi.

Services for farm businesses

Kuopio has 737 farms and 33,310 hectares of agricultural land in use. Close to the city centre, agricultural and rural entrepreneurs benefit from diverse local markets. In addition to agriculture, more than one third of farms engage in other business activities, and nearly one fifth are involved in contracting services. Farms obtain one third of their income from secondary sources. Diverse business activities and strong primary production—milk, meat, berries, vegetables, and specialty crops—make Kuopio Finland’s largest producer of milk, the second largest producer of beef, and a pioneer in clean local food.

The cities of Kuopio, Suonenjoki, and Varkaus, as well as the municipalities of Kaavi, Leppävirta, Siilinjärvi, Rautalampi, Rautavaara, Tervo, Tuusniemi, and Vesanto, form a joint rural administration area, with the Municipality of Siilinjärvi acting as the host municipality. The service organisation for this cooperation area is Sydän-Savo Rural Services, whose responsibilities include:

• tasks related to the farmer support process
• tasks related to damages caused by predators, game, and floods
• tasks based on the weed control legislation (common wild oat)
• registration of animal keepers and animal holdings
• contingency planning
• development of rural livelihoods and the rural operating environment (excluding Leppävirta)

North Savo relief services

The purpose of relief services for farmers is to ensure the uninterrupted operation of agricultural businesses during farmers’ annual holidays and periods requiring substitute assistance. From 1 January 2023, the City of Iisalmi manages relief services for the cities of Iisalmi, Kiuruvesi, Kuopio, Suonenjoki, and Varkaus, as well as the municipalities of Heinävesi, Leppävirta, Siilinjärvi, Rautavaara, Rautalampi, Vesanto, Tervo, Keitele, Pielavesi, Kaavi, Lapinlahti, Sonkajärvi, and Vieremä.

Sydän-Savo Rural Service

Sydän-Savo Rural Service is a cooperative area comprising the cities of Kuopio, Suonenjoki, Varkaus and the municipalities of Kaavi, Leppävirra, Siilinjärvi, Rautalampi, Rautavaara, Tervo, Tuusniemi and Vesanto. The host municipality is Siilinjärvi.

Kuopion kaupungin maaseutuelinkeinoviranomainen:

Sydän-Savo Rural Service | siilinjarvi.fi
Innocum, building S1 (F-door)
Isoharjantie 6, 71800 Siilinjärvi

maaseutupalvelut@siilinjarvi.fi