International Potato Tour in Russia: Innovative Farming Experience in the Omsk Region

As part of the international potato tour, the delegation visited the Omsk Region to get acquainted with the leading agricultural enterprises of the region. One of the key stops on the route was the family farm managed by Aleksey Aleksandrovich Knysh. This enterprise clearly demonstrates how modern technologies and a strategic approach to investments can create a world-class agribusiness in the shortest possible time.

From Ruined Pigsties to Modern Agribusiness

The history of this farm is a prime example of how courage and enthusiasm can transform abandoned territories. Before entering agriculture, the founding brothers worked in entirely different fields: logistics and sales. The idea to start growing potatoes was born in 2015 thanks to Aleksey’s friend and mentor, Mukhtorzhon Mamadaliyevich Umaraliev. Inspired by the scale of work involved in laying pipes for land reclamation and building storage facilities, the brothers decided to try their hand at it.

Their starting point was an open field with old, ruined pigsties—the only location allocated for development by the head of the district. In their very first year, the brothers:

• Acquired their first 100 hectares of land.
• Conducted their own land reclamation system during the winter, drawing water directly from the Irtysh River.
• Built their first vegetable storage facility in the summer and independently manufactured their first 5,000 storage containers.

Modern Infrastructure and Dutch Standards

Over nine years of continuous development, the enterprise has reached an impressive scale. Today, the farm manages 500 hectares of land, with 430 hectares dedicated to potatoes and 70 hectares to carrots.

The farm’s particular pride lies in its meticulously planned logistics and storage system:

• Container Storage: The enterprise relies exclusively on a container-based storage type. All containers are manufactured in-house based on precise Dutch blueprints. Currently, their fleet consists of about 20,000 identical units.
• Large-scale Complexes: The initially built facilities accommodated 5,000 tons, but a major phased project for a storage facility with a capacity of 18,000–20,000 tons, including sorting and processing zones, is now underway.
• High-tech Equipment: The spacious facilities are equipped with modern washing, polishing, and packaging lines, including machinery from the reliable Upmann brand. The equipment operates under a heavy load 24/7.
• Innovative Architecture: New production facilities are constructed without a single internal supporting column, allowing for free and maximum efficiency in arranging the production lines.

Soil Fertility Care and a Unique Reclamation System

High yields are impossible without careful soil management. On Aleksey Knysh’s farm, green manure (cover crops) is actively used to increase fertility and prevent plant diseases. These green fertilizers (oilseed radish, mustard, and a vetch-oat mix) are sown twice a summer: 45 days after the first sowing, just before flowering, the field is disked, leveled, and sown again.

To ensure an uninterrupted water supply for irrigation, a complex hydrotechnical system was created. Water is drawn by pumps mounted on a pontoon directly from the Irtysh River. However, to create a moisture reserve and pre-heat the water, storage reservoirs were built on a formerly marshy area. The first such reservoir holds 60,000 cubic meters of water, and carp fingerlings were even intentionally introduced into it to sustain the ecosystem.

In less than a decade, the farm has evolved from a bold idea by enthusiasts who, by their own admission, initially “didn’t even understand where they were going,” into one of the flagships of Siberian vegetable farming. All profits are reinvested annually into developing the production base. The brothers’ original dream was to cultivate 1,000 hectares of land. Half of this journey has already been successfully completed, and the enterprise is steadily moving toward achieving its ultimate goal.