The Ministry of Agriculture of the Chelyabinsk Region has developed a concept for the development of potato and vegetable growing, including these areas in the list of priorities. From 2022, state support for these industries will grow by 13,7 million rubles and will amount to 41 million rubles.
The results of the work of potato and vegetable growers in 2021, the prospects for the development of the industry were discussed at a production meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture of the region with the heads of agricultural enterprises, heads of industry institutes, seed companies.
According to First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Alexander Zavalishchina, industry specialists were among the first in the region to apply the latest agricultural technologies, mechanized the main processes of cultivation of potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, cabbage.
In 2021, under unfavorable weather conditions, the gross harvest of potatoes in the Chelyabinsk region amounted to 400 thousand tons (taking into account the harvest in households), and agricultural organizations and farmers harvested potatoes by 13 thousand tons (15%) more than in 2020. - 100 thousand tons. Open ground vegetables were harvested 96 thousand tons, of which 24 thousand tons in agricultural organizations and farms.
For the storage of vegetables and potatoes in the region there are industrial storages with a total capacity of 174 thousand tons of one-time storage.
In 2021, for a number of reasons, there was a very high demand for potatoes and vegetables in Russia, which led to a serious increase in prices. In order to increase the level of self-sufficiency of the region with these products, in the Chelyabinsk region, in accordance with the concept developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, by 2025 the annual industrial production of open field vegetables is planned to be increased to 45 thousand tons, potatoes - up to 125 thousand tons. For this, starting next year, regional state support for vegetable and potato growing will increase by 13,7 million rubles and will amount to 41 million rubles. So, only compensatory subsidies for potato production will grow by 2,5 million rubles (up to 5,6 million rubles) and by 3 million rubles (up to 4,9 million rubles) subsidies for the cultivation of vegetables "borsch set" - onions, carrots, beets, cabbage. In 2022, farms will be able to receive the compensating subsidy in March, for this the first stage of the competition for the selection of recipients will be held in December and January of this year.
The stimulating subsidy for vegetable production will increase to 17,2 million rubles (72%). Also, unrelated support paid from the regional budget (per unit of planting area) is preserved: for growing potatoes - 7,1 million rubles, vegetables - 6,2 million rubles.
The subsidy for the purchase of elite seeds of various agricultural crops is increased by 1 million rubles - up to 56,2 million, within the framework of which farms, in addition to seeds of other crop groups, will be able to renew the seed fund of potatoes in order to receive marketable potatoes of good quality.
In 2021, five farms received subsidies in this area, the compensation amounted to more than one million rubles, which made it possible to compensate for 29% of the cost of purchasing elite potato seeds. In addition, next year, regional subsidies for the purchase of mineral fertilizers will increase from 100 to 200 million rubles, without which the cultivation of potatoes and vegetables is unprofitable. The rate for the purchase of mineral fertilizers for growing potatoes and vegetables will be slightly higher than for other crops.
Within the framework of the reclamation program, there are three types of support: for cultural equipment, for chemical reclamation and hydro reclamation (50% of the costs are compensated for the latter two). The Government of Russia is additionally considering the issue of preferences for farms specializing in the cultivation of potatoes and vegetables in open ground as part of the implementation of the state program for land reclamation.