In the first days of spring, the Russian potato community celebrated a significant anniversary - in Cheboksary, for the tenth time, the Potato-2018 Interregional Industry Exhibition, the only Russian specialized forum of the potato industry, was successfully held.
The event was organized by the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Chuvash Republic, the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Farming named after A.G. Lorkh, the state unitary enterprise of the Chuvash Republic "Agro-Innovations" with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation and the Union of Participants market of potatoes and vegetables (Potato Union).
88 companies from 25 regions of Russia and the Republic of Belarus presented their achievements at the exhibition. These are firms and companies involved in introducing advanced technologies for growing potatoes, developing and supplying fertilizers and plant protection products, research institutes, and potato producers. And, of course, manufacturers and suppliers of modern agricultural and freight equipment: more than 30 vehicles from seven companies were presented at the site in front of the exhibition complex.
The central event of the forum’s business program was the scientific and practical conference “Development of selection and seed production of potatoes in the Russian Federation”, at which acute questions about the state of the domestic market for table and seed potatoes, the prospects of creating selection and seed centers, and the introduction of new Russian varieties were actively discussed.
The guests of the forum were also able to take part in round tables on topical problems of potato growing: “New varieties and innovative technologies in virus-free potato seed production. The situation in Russia and international experience "," Experience and prospects for the implementation of innovative projects based on agricultural enterprises of the Potato Union of Russia: from seed to processing. "
Business events of the exhibition were visited by more than 500 people from 29 regions of Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus.
And the main entertainment event of the exhibition was recognized as a tasting of popular varieties of potatoes, bringing together connoisseurs, gourmets and just lovers of crisp hot boiled potatoes. The guests of the potato feast evaluated the appearance, texture and taste of tubers of salt foreign (Vega, Inara, Evolution) and domestic selection (Avan, Kumach, Mirage) cooked without salt. The foreign voices Vega and domestic Kumach scored the most votes.
In addition, tasting of potato dishes was held for visitors and exhibitors.
According to prevailing rules, on the eve of the exhibition in Chuvashia, a contest of children's drawings and crafts "Potato Country" was held. More than 2,5 thousand creative works of pupils of kindergartens and students of secondary schools of districts and cities of the republic were submitted to the jury. The winners of the competition were awarded diplomas and valuable gifts.
During the exhibition, retail trade in seed potatoes was organized in the Nikolaevsky shopping mall. The production of seed farms diverged like hot cakes. In total, more than 60 tons of seed potatoes of 30 varieties of domestic and foreign breeding were sold.
In general, the exhibition “Potato-2018” aroused great interest both among professionals in the potato business and owners of private plots and just lovers of potatoes, and Cheboksary once again fully confirmed the status of the potato capital of Russia.