This year, more than 19 thousand hectares of arable land have been allocated for potato cultivation in Dagestan. 40 percent of this area falls on Levashinsky (more than 3 thousand hectares), Akushinsky (2,1 thousand hectares), Khasavyurt (1430 hectares) and Buinaksky (1280 hectares) districts. The production of almost 98% of tubers in the republic is concentrated in personal subsidiary plots of the population. At the same time, in the Khasavyurt, Kizilyurt and Derbent districts there are large potato farms by Dagestan standards.
Individual entrepreneur Hasan Magomedov from the village of Kokrek, Khasavyurt district, is an authoritative specialist, who is visited for experience from different parts of Dagestan. The potato grower himself gains knowledge from the best specialists and scientists of Russia and Belarus, attends industry exhibitions and scientific events. The entrepreneur cultivates potatoes on 50 hectares. At present, early potatoes are being harvested here, with the course of which the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food RD Sharip Sharipov got acquainted.
As Hasan Magomedov noted, last spring the soil remained too wet for a long time, as a result of which the potatoes were planted a month later than usual. Accordingly, the harvest of early potatoes was late by 2-3 weeks and it was not possible to take full advantage of the advantages of selling early potatoes. Despite the difficulties, the observance of the elements of agricultural technologies will make it possible to collect on average more than 200 centners of tubers per hectare. The entrepreneur is also engaged in onion cultivation, including seed crops. In previous years, carrots were also cultivated, but this year, due to excessive waterlogging of the soil, I could not plant it in the spring.
Idris Zagalov, head of the Department of Agriculture of the Khasavyurt District, noted that the village of Kokrek has rich traditions of potato cultivation, the brand "Kokrek potato" has been recognizable for decades in Dagestan.
“Today, it is important to supply Dagestan potatoes to food markets, this will allow to slightly bring down the price of fresh potatoes this year. We see, in spite of the difficulties, this farmer has good production indicators, and the stake on the observance of basic agrotechnical operations allows to get a decent result. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Dagestan in its policy focuses on expanding the practice of introducing modern agricultural technologies. Without this, it will be difficult for a Dagestan manufacturer to compete for sales markets. We are also taking measures to expand the production of potatoes in the organized sector (peasant farms, individual entrepreneurs, agricultural organizations), due to which in 2020 the crops in this sector increased by 47% compared to 2019.
In this case, it is easier to ensure the supply of products in batches both to food markets and to retail chains. This year, 400 hectares of arable land have been allotted in the organized sector for growing potatoes, while 2 years ago it was half less. To cultivate potatoes in large areas requires considerable investment, as well as the availability of specialized equipment. To stimulate the expansion of potato cultivation areas, we intend to subsidize part of the cost of purchased equipment. Potatoes are the second bread, and the demand from the population for this type of product is observed all year round. Therefore, we are implementing a number of projects for the construction of storage facilities so that it is possible to regulate supplies to the consumer, avoiding a surge in prices in the off-season, ”Sharip Sharipov said.