Potato growers of the Sughd region (Republic of Tajikistan) in 2018 harvested 416 thousand tons of potatoes, which is 94,7 thousand tons more than last year. This is reported by the Internet portal EastFruit.
Such a significant increase in production is explained by the fact that in the year ending 20994,7 hectares of land were allocated for potatoes, which is 4932 hectares more than in 2017. The expansion of areas occurred due to the development of new, previously fallow lands, reduction of land allotted for cereals, melons and livestock feed.
The geography of potato production was also expanded. If in previous years this culture was mainly specialized in the piedmont Kuhistoni of the Matchinsky, Ayni, Shakhristan, Ganchinsky districts and the cities of Istaravshan, Isfara, Penjikent, now farmers of the lowland regions - Babadzhon Gafurovsky, Jabbor Rasulovsky, Spitamensky, as well as the city of Konibodom.
An increase in the area under potatoes was undertaken to more fully saturate the domestic market and stabilize the price of potatoes, which jumped sharply in 2017. Now there is enough potato on the market, the price per 1 kg of product is in the range of 2-2,5 somoni ($ 0,21 - 0,27).
Potatoes from the Sogd region were not exported from the country this year, but were delivered in large volumes to the central part of the republic.
Next year, in accordance with the republican program for the development of potato growing, it is planned to continue expanding the area for this tuber.
In Zeravshan Valley alone, they intend to plant potatoes on another 2 thousand hectares.
Source: https://www.fruit-inform.com