According to Irkutskstat, since 2000, the area sown for potatoes in households in the Irkutsk region has decreased by 2,5 times, and the gross harvest of potatoes has decreased by 2,2 times.
With reduced acreage, farmers, through the use of varietal seeds and modern technologies, achieved an increase in production: if in 2000 they harvested 29,7 thousand tons of potatoes, then in 2019 - 36,3 thousand tons. The yield of potatoes in agricultural organizations, as a rule, is higher than in other farms.
“Due to the reduction in production in the Angara region, potato resources are steadily decreasing; this process has acquired a solid trend since 2009. Imports, including imports, are increasing, but their share in total resources is small (1%). It is pleasant to note the annual decrease in losses, but at the same time, production and personal consumption and stocks at the end of the year are decreasing. However, per capita consumption of potatoes changes insignificantly, this most important product remains one of the few for which almost complete self-sufficiency is ensured in the Irkutsk region, ”the Irkutskstat reports.