Penza’s “Razdolye” Harvests Record Early Potato Crop with AI and Irrigation, Yielding Over 600 Centners per Hectare
The “Razdolye” agro-firm in Bogoslovka, Penza Oblast, has achieved a rare early harvest of young potatoes in early July 2026, a feat attributed to a combination of favourable weather, its own irrigation system, and artificial intelligence monitoring technologies. According to company head Evgeny Osminin, this year’s abundant sunshine and moisture created what he called “ideal weather for potatoes.” Coupled with the firm’s in-house irrigation infrastructure and AI-driven crop monitoring—which, as Osminin noted, allows the company to “know how every single tuber feels”—the farm reached a yield of over 600 centners per hectare, a figure approaching record levels.
The fresh potatoes are already reaching consumers through Penza retail chains such as “Karavan” and “Skidkino,” as well as markets in neighbouring regions and Moscow. In addition to direct sales, “Razdolye” has established dedicated production partnerships: part of its crop is supplied to PepsiCo for Lay’s potato chip production, while another portion goes to OOO “Vi Fray” for distribution to the “Vkusno — i tochka” restaurant chain. Beyond potatoes, the company also grows onions, beets, carrots, and cabbage, and has previously developed one of the region’s most advanced sprinkler irrigation systems, covering approximately 1,173 hectares. This year, it has nearly doubled its potato planting area and plans to gradually bring unused land into crop rotation.
