Dagestan is set to achieve a major milestone in its agricultural development, with the first locally bred potato varieties expected to be released by 2027. This was announced by Nariman Nimatulaev, Acting Director of the Federal Agricultural Research Center of the Republic of Dagestan, during a conference on the region’s agro-industrial complex. The new varieties are being developed in the Akushinsky and Kurakhsky districts, and three promising candidates have already been submitted for state variety trials in 2025. According to Nimatulaev, these varieties have passed initial testing and demonstrated excellent results, marking a significant step for potato farming in a region with ideal growing conditions but no native cultivars until now.
Beyond potatoes, Dagestan is making substantial progress in broader breeding programs. Scientists have successfully developed 52 varieties of fruit trees, including popular apricots and peaches, which have already been transferred to the agricultural sector. Currently, an apple variety named “Pamyat Pokrovskiy” and a sweet cherry called “Maral” are undergoing state trials. Furthermore, the region is actively working on seed production for biennial vegetables, with successful cultivation of sugar beet seeds in Southern Dagestan and the launch of demonstration vegetable crops, highlighting a comprehensive effort to boost the republic’s agricultural self-sufficiency.
