Irina Berg
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THE PLANTING MATERIAL TO A LONG DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF THE FUTURE HARVEST. BUT EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT EVEN IN STABLE TIMES NOT ALL POTATO GROWERS CAN SPEND ON THE BEST QUALITY SEEDS. AND AFTER A YEAR LIKE THE PAST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF FARMERS BUYING ELITE OR FIRST REPRODUCTION BY THE NEXT SEASON IS ONLY DECREASING.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
In the coming season, the purchase of seed material, especially high reproductions, was far from affordable for everyone.
- Due to a lack of financial resources, the farm has not been able to purchase the necessary volumes of seed material for several years, - emphasizes the head of the KFH Vladimir Shipiguzov (Perm Territory). - Weather problems in 2022, low yields and sales difficulties only exacerbated the situation. A really disastrous year did not allow us to fully prepare for the new season and buy everything we would like to have.
Often producers come to the rescue of their colleagues, sell seeds at a big discount, in installments or with deferred payment.
- Our farm produces not only ware potatoes, but also seed potatoes for sale., - says the head of the KFH Boris Panteleev (Leningrad region). - About 400 tons of seeds for the new harvest had to be lent to their countrymen, who could not pay right away. We agreed that the payment would be received in the fall, but it is not known whether they will be able to return the entire amount on time..
The decline in demand for seed material was confirmed by its producers, and some of them are already counting losses at the beginning of the season.
- We work in several directions, - says the head of the KFH "Egorsha" Egor Berezovsky (Tula region), - including the sale of planting material for summer residents and the sale of small packaging products. There was a significant decrease in demand from this customer segment. One of the reasons is that in the private sector in 2022 they got a good harvest, the rest of which they decided to plant. With regard to large batches of seeds, stable demand was noted from processors. But here it should be borne in mind that neither in autumn nor in spring they experienced difficulties with the sale of products, as producers of ware potatoes. And yes, the prices were much higher.
Larger market players managed to maintain their positions due to long-established business ties and a high level of competitiveness.
- Due to low prices for table potatoes, some Russian producers faced a shortage of funds, and the purchase of seed material became impossible, - concludes the head of the commercial department of Doka-Gene Technologies LLC Edward Oreshkin (Moscow region). - We know from customers that there are quite a lot of problematic seeds on the market, which is why we felt the influx of orders in the pre-planting period. High quality seed material, of course, has a higher cost, which is due to the increase in the actual costs of its cultivation, storage and preparation. However, for the most part, farmers who aimed at high results were ready for this. Therefore, the demand for elite seeds remained high.
FROM SUPERELITE TO…
The issue of the magazine was being prepared for publication in the midst of the spring season. Potato growers told directly from the fields which crop varieties were chosen for planting and which seed reproductions they preferred.
- Despite all the difficulties, we only used high reproductions, - notes Boris Panteleev. - For example, when the Red Scarlett variety was planted, they took the elite and the super-elite, Charoite - the elite, the Colomba, Primabelle, Bettina varieties - the first reproduction.»
- Lowest seed reproductions I am considering planting in the near future, - this is the elite and the first reproduction, - assures the director of OPH "Dary Ordynska" LLC Shakir Suleymanov (Novosibirsk region). - We work with retail chains, so the requirements for our products are quite high. It makes no sense to plant seeds of average quality, because as a result we will get the same crop, perhaps even with diseases and a presentation that is far from ideal. In the new season, we have chosen super-early and early varieties of table potatoes: Colomba, Gala, Rosara, Riviera, Arizona. And chips: BP 808, Lady Claire.
- We have two varieties - Red Scarlett and Gala, - explains Vladimir Shipiguzov- but this time the seeds are mostly third reproduction. In 2022, in order to introduce Rodrigue potatoes into production, we purchased good, high-quality seeds of the second reproduction. But all our efforts were in vain, because due to the severe drought, we did not receive the harvest of this variety.
FAULTS ARE OBVIOUS
In difficult times, farmers are waiting for government assistance to reduce operating costs. To help them, support measures are provided as part of the implementation of the Subprogram "Development of selection and seed production of potatoes in the Russian Federation" of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Agriculture for 2017-2030 (FSTP).
The Committee for Agro-Industrial and Fishery Complex of the Leningrad Region reported that the region is working on a comprehensive scientific and technical project “Development of new promising domestic varieties of potatoes and development of technology for the biological protection of potatoes from rhizoctonia with domestic microbial preparations”. In the course of its implementation, AgroInter LLC produces elite potato seed material of new domestic varieties Charoit and Gusar. In 2021, an additional state support measure appeared in the form of compensation for 70% of the costs to buyers of domestically bred potato seeds produced under the FSTP.
Already in the next season, 840 thousand rubles were allocated from the regional budget for Boris Panteleev's peasant farm for these purposes.
- We set aside 10-12 hectares for early potatoes, adds the farmer and for its planting in 2022, they purchased 30 tons of seed material of the Charoit variety. A year later, they repeated this experiment with the Gusar variety, buying 37 tons of seeds in the hope of a 70 percent reimbursement of expenses. Of course, such payments from the state help farmers. But if our products were given a decent price, we would do without support.
In the Moscow Region, Ozyory JSC, FH SeDeK LLC, Doka-Gennye Tekhnologii LLC are involved in the implementation of the FSTP subprogramme. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the region, in 2022, thanks to the efforts of the breeders of these companies, 4 new varieties of potatoes were registered. Last season, 70% of the costs for the purchase of planting material of the Flamingo variety were returned to the regional budget by the Yemelyanov Enterprise JSC. The amount of the subsidy amounted to almost 749,5 thousand rubles.
However, it turned out that in a number of other regions of the country, where the editors of the journal applied with a request, this type of support does not work, allegedly due to the lack of people willing to receive it.
- It often happens that you run for several weeks, spend a lot of time, collect a bunch of documents, and then they simply won’t give money, - states with regret Egor Berezovsky. - The fact is that when applying for a subsidy, the condition for its payment is indicated: “If budgetary funds are available.” That is, you are not guaranteed anything in advance. I have come across this myself, discussed this topic more than once with buyers of our seed material. I think many no longer believe in state support, and therefore do not apply for it.
- It takes a lot of effort to get subsidies., - agree Edward Oreshkin. - Not all subjects of Russia have transparently formulated the conditions for their provision, there are bureaucratic barriers. State support within the framework of the FSTP is financed from the budgets of the regions, but not each of them has the opportunity to allocate funds for this direction. Our company, being a member of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Potato Breeding and Seed Production for 2017-2030, is trying to help customers reduce their financial burden. Most of them successfully use the possibility of subsidizing, but its mechanism still needs to be improved.
- This kind of support should be a good incentive for domestic potato growers., is convinced Shakir Suleymanov. - As well as financing the purchase of high reproduction seeds, this will benefit the entire industry. And, in addition, it will contribute to the further implementation of the import substitution policy. But farmers are waiting for state support to always work in real life. life, not just on paper.
FOR DOMESTIC
The state support measure, designed to spark a surge of interest in domestic varieties, has not yet led to significant changes in the market. But the share of planted potatoes of Russian selection is still growing.
- Every year we reduce sales of seed material of foreign varieties, confirms the trend Edward Oreshkin. - Now it is only 35% of the sales volume, at the level of 10-12 thousand tons per season. Switching to domestic varieties, justified by demand from farmers, is the strategy of our company. Producers of table potatoes are constantly monitoring the latest breeding achievements that appear on the market, testing them in their farms. For several years we have noticed an increased interest in Russian varieties, and today Prime, Flamingo and Carmen occupy the leading positions in our product line in terms of sales.
- Since 2018, we have been growing elite seeds of the table variety Varyag, - is talking Egor Berezovsky- very popular among Russian processors. Due to its unique properties, in addition to food purposes, it is suitable for the production of french fries.
- We have been planting Charoit and Gusar for more than a year, - tells Boris Panteleev- and against the background of foreign varieties, they show themselves on the good side. But to be honest, I will say that such a choice is due precisely to the opportunity to receive more subsidies from the state. Taking into account the compensation of part of the costs for the purchase of seeds and the consumer properties of the varieties, they suit me quite well.
- For a long time we grew Luck, but in just a few years the demand for it has fallen sharply, because the flesh of the tubers darkens when cooked, shares experience Vladimir Shipiguzov. - Last year I had to abandon it, although the variety is wonderful, I liked it, including in terms of yield. Demand for domestic varieties from the end consumer should remain high, then many farms will be more willing to plant such potatoes.
- We are very interested in Russian potato breeding, - claims Shakir Suleymanov- I think that next year at least 30-40% of the seed material will be domestic varieties. The main thing is that they have good reviews from other manufacturers, and they must show themselves worthy in the conditions of the Siberian climate. Let there be no yield yet, like foreign varieties, but we can be confident in the future. The need to revive Russian seed production is long overdue, potato growers need to focus on varieties created by our breeders. It is important for Russia to have its own high-quality seed material so that we can harvest crops, regardless of the political situation.
IN AUTUMN WE COUNT
Refusal of potato growers from buying seed material of high reproductions will not have the best effect on the quality of the future crop. But most of all, farmers are worried about the prospect of repeating the situation of last year.
- Nothing good to expect from the new season, - suggests Egor Berezovsky- because there is still an oversupply of potatoes on the market.
Those who could not sell it are preparing to take out to the ravine up to 500, or even under a thousand tons. Plus, they continue to import products from abroad into the country, for example, recently there were deliveries from Egypt. 2023 will be fruitful, there will again be a disaster. It will become a poor harvest, the situation with prices will even out, but even then we will not get high profits in the industry.
- Two dry years in a row, - He speaks Vladimir Shipiguzov- Permian potato growers received mainly tubers small fractions. Cultivating sandy loamy lands, we cannot grow a decent crop in conditions of moisture deficiency, and remoteness from water sources does not allow organizing irrigation. It turns out that we would not have planted any reproduction, even the elite, even the super-elite, the result completely depends on the weather.
- Rising costs of agricultural production with declining profits do not allow many farmers to introduce new varieties and annually update planting material, - notes Edward Oreshkin. - This creates a deferred problem of reducing the yield and quality of their marketable potatoes.
- It becomes more and more difficult to work due to the penny cost of products and unstable demand, - considers Boris Panteleev. - The authorities are constantly pushing farmers, saying: "Come on, plant more!". But everything shows that the country simply does not need such a quantity of potatoes, and no one is engaged in calculating the real needs of the population. A thoughtless agrarian policy leads to overproduction and a drop in the level of profitability of the industry. How many farmers have already gone bankrupt as a result, and how many more will go bankrupt this year ...