WILL THE FOREIGN BREEDED POTATOES BE REPLACED BY RUSSIAN VARIETIES?
The plans of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation to establish a quota for the import of potato seeds in 2022 divided potato growers into two camps. Some are sure that such a measure will cause a shortage of high-quality seed material in Russia and harm the industry. Others are convinced that a decrease in the share of foreign companies will contribute to the conquest of the market by domestic varieties. potatoes.
All the arguments for and against listened to the browser our magazine.
SOBER CALCULATION
If the plans of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation are implemented, potato growers will have to pass a test of strength in the coming years. Whether they succeed, time will tell, but in their forecasts, representatives of the industry express opposite opinions.
- I can say not only as a seller of seeds of foreign varieties, but also as a producer of potatoes in the recent past, - says the production manager of Solana RUS LLC Mikhail Belyaev. - There is already a shortage of quality seed material in our market. And modern Russian varieties are simply not able to meet the needs of farmers throughout Russia. The new quotas will be especially noticeable for potato producers for processing. As far as I know, there are no domestic varieties that meet the requirements for it yet. And if they are created, they are not multiplied in such a volume as to satisfy the existing demand.
Quotas are not a good idea - considers the chairman of the SEC "Agrofirm" Elite Potato " Vladimir Akatiev- and I would suggest another way out of the situation. The authorities should introduce parallel import rules in this area. It is necessary to allow potato growers to grow seed material of varieties of foreign selection without concluding agreements with foreign patent holders. In our country, there are enterprises equipped with the latest science and technology that can easily fulfill this task and compensate for the shortage of seeds.
I think everyone in the Ministry of Agriculture carefully calculated and understood that quotas will not bring significant harm, - the general director of the LLC is sure
"Agrocenter "Korenevo" Alexei Zhuravlev. - In Russia, companies are successfully operating that support in vitro culture of potatoes in vitro. They produce mini-tubers of domestic and foreign varieties and propagate them to elite categories for subsequent sale. Our company also grows seed material from a test tube. And firms such as Fat-Agro LLC from North Ossetia already receive about three million mini-tubers a year. Many foreign companies have organized their production here long ago, because it is too expensive to constantly import potatoes from Europe.
Our country in matters of potato production is absolutely self-sufficient, - the chief agronomist of SeDeK is convinced Anatoly Osikhov. - But, unfortunately, the idea is being actively promoted here that we will be lost without seed material from the West. I visit different regions, from the Crimea to the Krasnoyarsk Territory, talking with local farmers. And I often hear that they are ready to fill the market with different varieties of potatoes, including early ones. But for some reason, we continue to make revenue for foreign companies that have settled in Russia. When in 2013 the Rosselkhoznadzor introduced restrictions on the import of seed potatoes from the EU countries, we found a worthy replacement for the very popular Dutch red-skinned variety - the domestic Azhur, entered in the State Register in 2018. Today, it quickly disperses to farms in different regions and receives positive feedback from farmers. Having all the advantages of its foreign counterpart, Azhur, in contrast to it, also tolerates heat well.
EUROPE WILL NOT HELP
This year, a severe drought was observed in the leading exporting countries of seed potatoes: Germany, France, the Netherlands. Therefore, many experts expect a decrease in the volume of supplies of their products to Russia.
— Europeans will first of all want to provide for their own needs, - thinks Alexei Zhuravlev- and only the surplus will be sent to us. But if fewer foreign products enter the market than in previous years, this should not cause serious problems.
— Europe has already confirmed the supply of the seed material we need, - is talking Mikhail Belyaev. - True, we will receive about 10 percent less than the volume that we requested, just because of the drought in the producing countries. But this is enough to provide for all customers.
— Our agricultural firm buys elite seed material grown in Russia or through a dealer network directly from foreign manufacturers, - tells Vladimir Akatiev. - I think that due to unfavorable weather conditions in Europe, a shortage of seeds of high reproductions is possible. Of course, we will not stop dealing with potatoes. We will plant lower reproductions, but this will not benefit either farmers or end consumers.
— We grow about 4 thousand tons of seed potatoes, and 2-2,5 thousand tons we launch productionGUSTs, explains Anatoly Osikhov. - When walking mass import of seeds of this crop from other countries, it became more difficult to sell your product. But thosethere are a lot of orders and demand remains stablebut high. I hope that now farmers, givingwho prefer foreign selection, will turn attention to Russian varieties and will see in them a lot good.
NON-CRITICAL LOSS
In Russia, the current season was also quite difficult. The drought has also hit those regions where potatoes continue to be grown without irrigation.
— Potato is a temperate crop that does not like heat, - reminds Vladimir Akatiev. - In dry conditions, it gains more viral infections than in years with the required amount of rainfall. But most importantly, there is a degeneration of potatoes, as high temperatures reduce its yield in offspring.
Losses of potato growers in the Central Black Earth region are compensated by farmers from other regions, - assures Alexei Zhuravlev. - For example, large areas are allocated for this crop in the Bryansk, Tula, Moscow regions, where there was enough rain.
In the Moscow region, we got a good harvest, and the seed material is clean, of high quality, - is talking Anatoly Osikhov. - Company divisions
SeDeK in the Omsk Region and Altai Territory also reported that they were all right. Therefore, there is reason to believe that we are not threatened by an acute shortage of domestic seed material.
IN MARKET CONDITIONS
This year has disappointed Russian ware potato producers. Low selling prices confused the plans of many farmers for high profits.
- In 2022, some farmers and even newcomers in branch took up potatoes, because in prelast season it was on sale 30-35 rubles for kilogram, - thinks Alexei Zhuravlev. - Those who invested in this business for the first time did not receive the expected return or even went bankrupt. But the companies long engaged in potato growing, calculate similar risks. And the big manufacturers are definitely not will remain at a loss.
– The market situation is gradually stabilizing, - sure Mikhail Belyaev. - August and early September showed that potatoes in the food the market, especially of high quality, is not as much as expected. Due to severe weather conditions in the central regions of Russia, the forecast for a good harvest did not come true. There is no doubt that the price of this product will continue to rise in the future.
Seed material, on the contrary, has noticeably risen in price in recent years. And there is an opinion that the refusal of farmers to grow ware potatoes can bring down prices for it.
- As a seed potato producer, I would like its value to be higher, - recognized Vladimir Akatiev. - But in the current economic conditions, neither farmers nor large farms have enough money to buy expensive seeds. The market dictates its own conditions, therefore, when concluding contracts, it is necessary to set prices that are slightly lower than last year.
— We consciously adhere to the prices of 2021, - tells Anatoly Osikhov. - If others sell foreign seed material for 70-90 rubles per kilogram, then we ask 30-35 rubles for different varieties of potatoes in the elite category. We can afford it, because we systematically improve the production process and reduce the cost of production.
— I hope that the prices for seed material will not fall below last year's, - is talking Mikhail Belyaev. - We need to respect the interests of our business partners who manufacture products for us, and take into account the capabilities of the customers to whom we sell our product. Therefore, when pricing, we always try to find a golden mean.
LEADERS IN DEMAND
The list of varieties occupying the largest areas in Russia has remained virtually unchanged for several years in a row.
— Unfortunately, the demand for foreign varieties is still higher, which is easily explained, - thinks Vladimir Akatiev. - I have been abroad many times, in large seed-growing centers. The level of their material support is many times higher than that of Russian breeders.
Today, the most popular varieties of foreign selection among farmers are Riviera, Arizona, Bellarosa, Red Scarlett. Of the Russian analogues that we grow, I can single out two new items: Ariel and Sadon. Good varieties, but still they are inferior to foreign ones and are still poorly represented on the market.
— The advantages of imported seed material are undeniable, - emphasizes Mikhail Belyaev. - Ethen high yield, quality, disease resistance, stability of all properties, appearance. Of the varieties we offer, it is not the first year that Queen Anna has been the leader in the market - stable, beautiful and high-yielding. I can also mention the varieties Labella and Rodriga, which are also in demand among agricultural producers. The Belmonda variety is gaining popularity, the properties of which have been well manifested in the last two seasons, during a strong heat wave.
— The growth in demand for Russian varieties is facilitated by new support measures, - approves Alexey Zhuravlev. - In accordance with the terms of the state program, up to 70 percent of the costs of farmers for the purchase of seed material of potatoes of domestic selection are subsidized. In total, about 25 varieties fell into it, including Ariel, Krasa Meshchery, Grant. Sadon, a variety that was jointly developed by Fat-Agro LLC and A.G. Lorch. Potatoes have a good presentation and show high yields in all regions of the country. I think that this variety is no worse than foreign ones.
– Federal scientific and technical program development of agriculture has enabled breeders to create laboratories for micropropagation and enter a new levelvein research, - is talking Anatoly Osikhov. - Thanks to state support measures, our company has brought six new domestic potato varieties to the market. Taking into account the achievements of scientists from Russian research institutes and specialists from other organizationstions, the number of such varieties is already approaching 30. But in many regions they simply do not know about the emergence of competitive Russian varieties that are not inferior to foreign ones. Therefore, their popularization is so necessary, which we are actively conducting. In the near future, our company will introduce another new variety - Zhenechka, next in line are the varieties Ilona, Empress, Assol, Farmer. With such a pace of work in just two or three years, the situation in Russia can change dramatically. I hope we will prove to agricultural producers that it is time to change priorities and switch to domestic varieties.