From Dagestan to Novosibirsk – such is the geography of deliveries of the farmer from the Astrakhan region Stepan Timofeev. In the coming season, 2.5 thousand tons of young potatoes and 1.5 thousand tons of late varieties of onions will be sent to addresses. The farmer grows such a significant crop largely thanks to state support, including the regional Agrostartup program. – We send onions to Dagestan, we load cars every day, 40 tons each. Onions are good quality. Right on time and the quality is always top notch. Astrakhan is known in the regions of Russia as a reliable business partner. Deliveries of root crops and onion crops are carried out almost all year round. The farmer Stepan Timofeev has his own huge warehouse for thousands of tons of products. All processes are mechanized and the machines do not stand idle under loading. “Chechnya, Dagestan, Stavropol, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk, Novosibirsk and other cities – the geography of deliveries is the most diverse. We have been regular customers from the very beginning of formation, ”says Stepan Timofeev, head of the KFH. They say that every third bulb on the Russian market is grown on Astrakhan soil – this is true, the farmer confirms. At one time, he studied the art of farming on a family contract. Winter storage, equipment, land allotment, experience and technology were inherited from my father – all this helps today in a difficult period of sanctions. The main thing now is to preserve and increase our seed material instead of imported ones. “We would like more of our varieties that are competitive in terms of potatoes and onions, so that they are marketable and do not yield to imports in terms of yield,” Stepan Timofeev noted. As long as seeds are available. According to the farmer, it will be enough for the sowing campaign for 3 years in advance. Today 120 hectares of young potatoes have already been planted and in June there will be the first new crop. Volumes of at least 2.5 thousand tons. Another 30 hectares are occupied by onions. At least 1.5 thousand tons will be collected for storage and sale. Such significant volumes of potatoes and onions are harvested largely thanks to regular state support. “According to the results of last year, they did an excellent job, support was provided to farmers in full – this is more than 200 million rubles for livestock and crop production. This year we will not reduce funding and I am sure that all funds will reach the peasant farm. The Agrostartup program has also started working, now we are accepting applications from farmers,” emphasizes acting. Head of the Department of Agriculture of the Administration of the Kharabalinsky District Irina Nikitina. It is noteworthy that state subsidies help farmers to keep the growth in the cost of vegetables and potatoes. First of all, due to the technologies of crop storage and irrigation with a “drip tube”. Also, before the sowing season, the federal Ministry of Agriculture reduced prices for domestic fertilizers.
