From magazine No. 4 2014
Category: First persons
We announced this conversation in the last issue of the magazine, when we wrote about the new position of Alexander Vasilyevich Bogomaz, a man well known in the potato community, the recent head of a prosperous peasant farm and a deputy of the State Duma. And so the interview took place.
Despite his busy schedule, Alexander Vasilyevich found time to tell readers of the potato magazine about the present and future of agriculture in the region entrusted to him.
— Alexander Vasilievich, what role, in your opinion, does agriculture (crop growing and potato growing, in particular) play in the economy of the Bryansk region? How important is the development of this industry for the region?
– The Bryansk region was and remains agricultural. This has its difficulties and its advantages. The land requires special attention, it brings income only to those who work on it as an owner: they feel it, understand it, cultivate it as it should, and give it plenty of fertilizer. In agriculture, you can become successful, you can get money, but you also need to invest a lot of work - and daily work. There are people in the Bryansk region who are capable of working like this, and we must support them.
Our region has high potential; we produce agricultural products (potatoes, grains, poultry, pork) much more than we consume. With the introduction of an embargo on the supply of products from European countries to Russia, we have a unique chance to feed neighboring regions (and, possibly, countries). We will definitely use it!
Agriculture is not a black hole, as some say. This is a very promising, profitable industry that can become a leader in the regional economy. And she will definitely become like that.
— How do you now assess the state of the potato industry in the “potato granary” of Russia? What can the Bryansk region boast of? (I heard, for example, about the recent opening of a new large complex for storing, sorting and packaging potatoes). What needs reforming?
– Thank you for such a definition of our region – “the potato granary of Russia.” This obliges our agricultural producers to do a lot. In my opinion, if anything needs to be reformed in potato farming, then, so to speak, “in the heads.” Everything is already open and presented, all you have to do is master it and apply it!
Now in our region 22 thousand hectares are allocated for growing “second bread”. In Soviet times, potato fields occupied about 110 thousand hectares. But the level of production is no lower than under the Soviet Union. We have very different farms engaged in potato growing: large, medium, small - and almost all of them are very successful. Harvests are comparable (and sometimes even ahead) with European achievements. According to the Department of Agriculture as of October 6, if we take all types of farms in the Bryansk region, with an average yield of 263 c/ha, 564 thousand tons were harvested. This is twice as much as on this date a year ago!
At the end of the season, we collect close to a million tons of “second bread,” but this is far from the limit. The whole question is in the use of modern technologies, dissemination of best experience, and training of personnel. Moreover, the latter, in my opinion, is especially important, since everything depends on the person. It’s not enough to buy the latest equipment and throw good seeds into the ground...
As for the project you mentioned, yes, it was successfully implemented: instead of an abandoned building of a former defense plant in the village of Kletnya, a modern, spacious potato storage complex appeared. The packaging line is designed to pack six thousand tons of tubers. The investor in the construction of the complex was Bryansk-Agro LLC (founder Vyacheslav Nikiforov), one of the best potato-growing agricultural enterprises in the Bryansk region. If we talk about what our region can boast of, it is such farms - actively developing, growing, promising.
Judge for yourself: in 2013, Bryansk-Agro LLC allocated 590 hectares for potatoes, in 2014 - already 745 hectares, in 2015 it is planned to expand the area to 900-1000 hectares. And the results are excellent (in 2013, 9675 tons of potatoes were harvested with a yield of 275 c/ha).
In 2012–2013, Bryansk-Agro LLC was among the enterprises that received state support (in the amount of 81 million rubles) under the program “Development of potato processing in the Bryansk region.” During the same period, the enterprise’s infrastructure included two potato storage facilities: a new one with a storage capacity of six thousand tons, equipped with a modern line for dry cleaning and packaging of potatoes, and a reconstructed one with a storage capacity of 3,7 thousand tons.
What else is important for us in the activities of this farm? Jobs for villagers! During the season of massive agricultural work, up to 100 people work here. Over the eight months of this year, the average monthly salary was 33242 rubles (a very good figure even for cities).
— What ways do you see for the growth of the industry? An example of which Russian (or foreign) region seems interesting to you in terms of improving potato farming?
– The industry is already on the rise. This is confirmed not only by potato harvest indicators and the successful operation of enterprises, but also by reviews of specialist guests who come to the traditional Bryansk Field Day.
Every year, in mid-July, an open-air exhibition is held in the Bryansk region, where farmers present their achievements, technology, seeds, new varieties and scientific developments. I invite you and your readers to come, see everything with your own eyes and tell us about this event.
By the way, at Bryansk Field Day you can meet delegations from the Republic of Belarus, which is proud of its potatoes, and Germans and Dutch - they also come to us for experience.
- From the position of a person who knows the needs of the farmer very well, and at the same time - the governor, assess: are regional programs of financial support for agricultural producers necessary (for the allocation of subsidies, etc.)?
– Various programs are needed. The Bryansk region participates in the long-term target program “Comprehensive development of the potato growing industry”: it receives considerable financial support from the federal budget and supplements it with its own regional funds. According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2013, for example, potato growers received assistance from the state treasury in the amount of 68,5 million rubles, add about another third - regional co-financing.
This year, the program went through a competitive selection process at the Ministry of Agriculture, but no money has been received yet. But, I repeat, the program is protected, and the funds will definitely arrive.
As for the joint programs with the Ministry of Agriculture to support agricultural producers, there are almost two and a half dozen of them in the Bryansk region: this includes “per-hectare support”, “per liter of milk”, “start-up and family farm” and others. Subsidies are provided, interest rates on loans are paid off - many different types of support.
There are also purely regional programs. For example, to support young agricultural workers who come to work in the countryside, as well as to hold fairs and exhibitions. I can say with confidence that the Bryansk region is among the top ten in the Russian Federation in terms of the volume of support to agricultural producers.
— Are there any new programs that are still being worked on?
“We want to introduce a program to stimulate the putting into circulation of unused agricultural land - those fields that are now standing, overgrown with weeds and birch trees. We all understand that over time there is no more land; on the contrary, for many reasons, the areas suitable for crops are constantly decreasing. This is a pressing problem!
And timing is important here: the program should begin to operate in the near future. Otherwise, we will simply never be able to use many areas.
— The press has written many times about the plans of large companies related to the construction of potato processing enterprises on the Bryansk land. Will similar projects be implemented?
– Everything that brings and will bring in the future income to the budget of the Bryansk region and municipalities, which will help the development of agriculture in the region, improve people’s lives, will work and be implemented. We will bet on projects that are effective or capable of being so. To date, we are not curtailing a single investment project in our agro-industrial complex. People invest money, build farms and processing complexes, create new jobs, and the regional government will certainly support such investors.
As for potato processing projects, they are working. There are stages, there are plans. So far no one is giving up on them, and the authorities are definitely not going to interfere with them!
— Which Bryansk potato growers’ experience do you think is the most successful and promising?
– Starodubsky district is the leader in the Bryansk region. In addition to the well-known enterprises of TNV "Red October" and IP Putsko L.I. throughout Russia, we also have other potato farms, whose leaders others should emulate!
Vladimir Zhutenkov (Druzhba LLC, Zhiryatinsky district).
He began implementing investment projects for potato growing in 2010, immediately sowing 1000 hectares of potatoes (now 1500 hectares). In the same year, he built the largest potato storage facility in Russia with a capacity of 40 thousand tons.
In 2014, the company began construction of another potato storage facility for 10 thousand tons with special refrigeration equipment for late sale of products. The facility will be commissioned for the 2015 harvest.
A potato washing and packaging line with a capacity of 15 tons per hour is currently being installed.
Nikolay Pashutko (farm farm "Progress", Starodubsky district).
The farm has been running since 1992. It has five potato storage facilities with a total volume of 40 thousand tons. This year, the yield was more than 500 c/ha for the Jelly variety and 400 for the Red Scarlett variety. In 2014, the enterprise purchased equipment for planting, harvesting, and processing potatoes worth eight million rubles using its own funds.
Mikhail Dovgalev (IP "Dovgalev M.M.", Starodubsky district)
I started working with potatoes in 2002. Today, this crop is grown on an area of more than 3 hectares. In 000, he built two potato storage facilities with a capacity of three thousand tons each. In total, his farm now has eight potato storage facilities.
In 2014, I also built a dryer with a capacity of 30 tons per hour.
Plans for the next year include building a complex of four storage facilities with a total volume of 10 thousand tons, purchasing four tractors and an additional set of equipment for planting, processing and harvesting potatoes.
Vyacheslav Melnichenko (IP “Melnichenko V.G.”, Dubrovsky district)
He has been farming potatoes for seven years. Area – 700 hectares. Even though there was a severe drought this summer, I got a good yield: 400 c/ha for the Bellarosa variety and 350 c/ha for the Red Fantasy variety.
This year I reconstructed the ventilation system in potato storage facilities (there are two of them - three thousand tons each). In one, temperature control is now carried out automatically (climate control), in the other - manually.
In 2013 I bought a new harvester, and this year I bought a potato seeder.
For 2015, there are plans to build three potato storage facilities of two thousand tons each: two in the village of Aleshinka, one in Afonino.
Mikhail Svistunov (peasant farm "Svistunov", Starodubsky district)
Mikhail Svistunov’s farm is 13 years old. There are 300 hectares under potatoes (in total, 1000 hectares are cultivated on the farm). Next year, the area under potatoes will increase to 400 hectares. The average potato yield in 2014 is 350 c/ha (maximum yield is 420 c/ha).
This year I purchased a set of equipment: a combine harvester, a planter and a milling cutter. In 2015, a new potato storage facility for three thousand tons will be built for the new harvest.
Alexander Akhlamov (IP "Akhlamov A.V.", Starodubsky district)
It has seven warehouses for potatoes with a total volume of more than 15 thousand tons. He grows the popular varieties Red Scarlett, Natasha, and Zhuravinka on the market. The cost of a kilogram of potatoes from A. Akhlamov is 11-12 rubles per kg. Works with wholesale consumers in the Rostov region and Astrakhan region. For the convenience of customers, the farmer built industrial scales; for the comfort of his own employees, he is now building an administrative building with a canteen and showers. Builds potato storage facilities and acquires equipment. Determined to develop the economy and use advanced technologies.
— Alexander Vasilyevich, at the luxurious stand representing the Bryansk region at the “Golden Autumn” exhibition in Moscow, there seemed to be everything: milk, cheeses, meat, sausages, pastries... And somehow potatoes were in a corner, not at all in the center of the exhibition. Does this mean that the region's priorities are shifting?
- This is just your vision of the composition. In fact, for our region, all agricultural products are in the center, and potatoes especially.