From magazine No. 3 2014
Category: Region
Penza region located on the East European Plain, within the Volga Upland. Area 43 thousand square meters. km. The region's territory from west to east is 3 km, from north to south - 330 km.
The region is located at the junction of three natural zones: central chernozem, non-chernozem and arid Volga region.
The population of the region, according to Rosstat, is 1 people, of which 360% are rural residents.
The climate is moderate continental, with fairly hot summers (average July temperature 19-21°C) and cold winters (from -11° to -13°C). The most unstable climate element is precipitation: the annual amount in the region fluctuates between 450-500 mm, in dry years it drops to 350 mm, and in wet years it rises to 775 mm. Spring droughts are typical, and dry periods often recur in summer.
The natural and climatic conditions and agricultural potential of the Penza region make it possible to obtain a decent potato harvest.
High scores
Over the past five years, the area under potato cultivation in agricultural organizations and peasant farms has increased significantly: from 2,7 thousand hectares in 2009 to 5,0 thousand hectares in 2013. In 2014, 5,8 thousand hectares were occupied by potatoes in the organized sector; in total, agricultural producers of all forms of ownership will have to harvest potatoes from an area of 39,7 thousand hectares.
The gross potato harvest in 2014 in agricultural organizations and peasant farms in the Penza region is planned at 80 thousand tons. These are serious plans for the region’s farmers. So in 2009, the gross potato harvest in the commercial sector amounted to 37,3 thousand tons, in 2013 - 45,8 thousand tons.
At the time of preparation of the material (by August 27), agricultural enterprises of all forms of ownership had harvested potatoes from an area of 24,62 thousand hectares, dug 325,67 thousand tons, the average yield was 132 c/ha.
In organized farms, potatoes were harvested from an area of 367 hectares, 4,92 thousand tons of potatoes were dug, the average yield is 131 c/ha. Potato harvesting is progressing at a good pace in the Shemysheysky, Lopatinsky, Vadinsky and Penza districts of the Penza region.
Regional Support Programs
To implement grandiose plans and achieve decent results in potato production - this is precisely what state support measures through the regional Ministry of Agriculture are aimed at.
This year, as part of supporting the production of potatoes and vegetables to agricultural producers in the Penza region, unrelated support in the field of crop production was provided in the amount of 6 rubles per 200 hectare of sown area, 1% of the refinancing rate is reimbursed for short-term (up to 100 year) and long-term (from 1 up to 2 years and from 8 to 2 years) loans and borrowings.
On a competitive basis, grants of up to 1,5 million rubles are provided for the creation of peasant (farm) enterprises specializing in the production, storage, packaging and processing of potatoes and vegetables within the framework of the departmental target program “Support for beginning farmers for the period 2012-2014”. This year, nine participants in program events will receive a grant in the amount of 1,5 million rubles for the development of potato and vegetable growing. Currently, the regional Ministry of Agriculture has announced the second stage of the competition for accepting applications for participation in this departmental target program.
In addition, this year agricultural producers are subsidized part of the cost of purchasing elite potato seeds in the amount of 500 rubles per 1 ton of seeds. Part of the costs for the creation of logistics centers is also subsidized within the framework of the economically significant regional program “Creation of logistics centers aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of potato growing, vegetable growing, fruit growing and other agricultural products in the Penza region for 2014-2016.” This program provides for reimbursement of 30% of construction costs (reconstruction, modernization), purchase of machinery and equipment for sorting and storage, technological equipment and lines for part-time processing, processing, packaging and storage, refrigeration equipment, ventilation and climate control systems.
Currently, on the territory of the Penza region in the Belinsky district, a large project is being implemented to create a logistics center for the production, storage and sale of potatoes by JSC Bashmakovsky Bread. Each stage of the logistics center is a complex for the storage and pre-sale preparation of potatoes and vegetables with a capacity of 15 thousand tons, consisting of six arch-type storage facilities with a capacity of 2,5 thousand tons each and a technological building connecting them - a gallery, in which technological lines will be located sorting and packaging.
Seed fund
The Penza Research Institute of Agriculture, located in the working village of Lunino, helps provide potato farms in the region with seed material. The institute has been operating successfully for over 100 years.
PenzNIISH employees offer consumers healthy seeds of 21 potato varieties. This list includes early varieties (Zhukovsky early, Zhigulevsky, Darenka, Vineta, Penza skorospelka, Utenok, Udacha, Bullfinch); mid-early (Svitanok Kyiv, Ramsay, Russian Souvenir, Skazka); mid-season (Roko); mid-late (Lorch).
In addition to the listed zoned varieties, Sante, Valiza, Golubizna, Malinovka, Master, Petersburgsky, Nikulinsky, Tescha, Batya, Bryansk delicacy are also available. All varieties are distinguished by high productivity, disease resistance, and excellent presentation.
Harvest sales
Speaking about the sale of potatoes, it is worth noting that this important issue is being resolved by the local Ministry of Agriculture. Working meetings are held regularly with agricultural producers and representatives of retail chains. Today there is a result: local potatoes have arrived in chain stores. This is a big step for local producers and a positive result of the systematic, comprehensive work of the Government of the Penza Region.
In the region, there is an annual increase in interaction between trading enterprises of all formats and Penza commodity producers. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture is studying the issue of creating “farmer corners” in retail chains, which will present environmentally friendly products from local producers at affordable prices, so to speak, “from garden to counter.”
The sale of Penza potatoes of the new crop, grown in the Penza region, began in the stores of the Trade Union “Shop of my district”. They are satisfied with the quality of the potatoes and look forward to further fruitful cooperation. At retail, potatoes are sold at a price of 12 rubles. 90 kopecks for 1 kg.
We can safely say that the Penza region is capable of providing the population of the region with high-quality potatoes; in addition, there are real opportunities to supply surplus crops throughout Russia.
Today, taking into account the current political and economic market conditions, we can say that the special economic measures introduced in order to ensure the security of the state are aimed at protecting the interests of the country, including food interests. The imposed sanctions will have a positive impact on agricultural producers. Over the past years, our agro-industrial complex has been demonstrating dynamic growth in the production of agricultural food products; new opportunities, first of all, will open up for domestic agricultural producers, including Penza; the food market will be filled with our fresh, high-quality food products, which, as the consumption pattern shows, for our citizens are more preferable than foreign ones.
The material was prepared by the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Penza Region