South Ural farmers choose the best potato variety. The tasting of the product was organized in the Argayash district - there is an annual holiday, the Day of the Potato Field. Here, seed growers educate farmers about the benefits of new potato varieties.
On a field of 12 hectares, 12 varieties of potatoes, new for the South Urals, are grown at once. Farmers look at how the tubers take root in our land, how resistant to weather conditions, processing and fertilizers. And as a result, they figure out which ones to plant in the Chelyabinsk region, and which ones are better to refuse. About 100 heads of specialized farms from different districts of the region look at the tops, feel the potatoes, and then taste them at a special tasting.
The participants are offered to taste boiled potatoes, without spices. There are 6 varieties here. Half are imported, half are domestic. But where is what - for everyone remains a mystery. According to the results of the popular vote, Bavarian varieties are the best. However, breeders assure: good potatoes, like good wine, get better over time. Domestic varieties do not become limp and dry. And this is an advantage for regions with a long winter.
“That year we tested a variety like“ Grandma ”. When tasting in the month of July, he showed us nothing special. And when we held a tasting in February, it was precisely "Vasilyok" and "Babushka" that won prizes. That is, apparently, our Russian varieties gained starch during the storage period and became beautiful, ”explains Irina Novikova, General Director of the State Unitary Enterprise“ Food Corporation ”.
New varieties are grown by the Chelyabinsk Regional Food Corporation and the Argayash Agricultural College with the participation of a partner company from Samara. It takes 14 years to create a new variety. A few more years for testing in the field. The first-class seeds are then sold. And only then - from the fields - to retail chains, kindergartens, schools and canteens.
“We produce 120-130 tons, in the best years - 160 thousand tons. This is quite enough to fully meet all the needs of our region. And we export about 40 thousand tons outside. Basically, this is Orenburg and Kazakhstan, ”notes Lidia Smirnova, Honored Agronomist of the Russian Federation.
It is necessary to change varietal tubers in the field every 3-4 years, otherwise the yield drops. To help farmers, there are government subsidies.
“We spend more than 100 million rubles for elite seed growing this year. And for the support of marketable potatoes - also for incoherent support - we have a pretty decent amount. It is about 20 million rubles ", - emphasizes the head of the department for the development of crop production of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Chelyabinsk region Yuri Zasypkin.
All farms that grow potatoes in the Chelyabinsk region can receive support. Acceptance of documents will last until the end of August.
Source: https://www.1obl.ru/