The preliminary forecast of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation for the production of potatoes in Russia in 2018 is 26,65 million tons, according to the materials of the ministry. The harvest of 2017 amounted to 29,59 million tons.
Thus, the decrease in the potato yield may amount to 10%, Interfax reports. An increase in production is expected in agricultural organizations and peasant and farm enterprises (KFH), a decrease - in households. According to the forecast of the Ministry of Agriculture, the harvest in agricultural organizations will grow to 4,33 million tons from 4,23 million tons in 2017, in peasant farms - to 2,6 million tons from 2,5 million tons.
Potato production in households will decrease to 19,73 million tons from 22,85 million tons in 2017. According to preliminary census data, in 2016 the sown area of potatoes in personal subsidiary plots turned out to be 624,9 thousand ha less. In 2017-2018, the cultivated area, according to adjusted data, is estimated at 1,3 million hectares (previous estimates were 1,9 million hectares). Despite the decline in production on the households, there is enough potato in the country, said earlier the head of the Department of Plant Production of the Ministry of Agriculture Petr Chekmarev.
In early January, the Accounts Chamber announced that potato production could be reduced, and this could negatively affect the level of self-sufficiency of Russia for potatoes (taking into account preliminary results of the agricultural census, which recorded a 1,7-fold decrease in the cultivated area under potatoes in households) last 10 years).
The households account for 80,4% of the total production of potatoes, 59% of melons and gourds, 76,7% of fruits and berries and 66,9% of vegetables in open and closed ground, the Accounts Chamber noted. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the population's demand for vegetables is estimated at 17,6 million tons. The production of vegetables in 2017 amounted to 16,33 million tons (including 15,38 million tons of protected ground vegetables and 945,9 thousand tons - protected ground vegetables in agricultural organizations).
The production of fruits and berries in Russia last year decreased to 2,95 million tons from 3,11 million tons in 2016 due to a decrease in yield in households and agricultural enterprises. In 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture predicts an increase in the gross harvest of fruits and berries to 3,4 million tons.
Source: http://agroobzor.ru