“Potato Diplomacy” in Action: Viktor Kovalev’s International Tour Receives Global Recognition in Delhi

December 2025 marked a landmark event for the agricultural media industry. The “International Potato Tour” project, created by Potatoes News founder Viktor Kovalev, has confirmed its global status. The expedition, dedicated to documenting how this staple crop is grown in different corners of the planet, received official recognition at the Global Potato Summit in India.

Triumph in New Delhi

One of the most significant global events at the end of the year was the Global Potato Summit 2025, held on December 11–12 at the India Expo Mart (Greater Noida, Delhi). India, as the world’s second-largest potato producer, gathered leading breeders, equipment manufacturers, and experts from across the globe at this venue.

It was here that Viktor Kovalev’s project received high praise from the international jury. The “International Potato Tour” was honored with a special award as a key initiative promoting “global potato dialogue through knowledge exchange.” Viktor Kovalev not only accepted the award but also served as a speaker in the business program, discussing how information helps farmers overcome borders and technological barriers.

Insights from the Indian Expedition

The recognition in Delhi is the result of the “Tour” team’s extensive work directly within the region. Reports from India revealed unique technological solutions to viewers in Russia and the CIS that are highly applicable to their own conditions.

The focus was on:

• An Alliance of Giants: A detailed analysis of the partnership between the German concern GRIMME and the Indian company Shaktiman. Victor Kovalev demonstrated how machinery is created specifically adapted for difficult climates and smaller fields (a topic extremely relevant for farmers in Southern Russia and Central Asia).
• Processing Secrets: Exclusive interviews with the top management of Agristo India, revealing the nuances of producing French fries and potato flakes in a hot climate.
• Localization: An honest conversation about why simply “buying imports” doesn’t always work, and how adapting machinery saves the farmer’s economy.

Double Success in 2025

Symbolically, this international triumph coincided with recognition at home. Earlier, in the autumn of 2025, the “International Potato Tour” was shortlisted for the prestigious National Award “My Earth — Russia” (Moya Zemlya — Rossiya), held under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.

This “double” success — being a finalist in Russia’s main agricultural award and receiving an award at a Global Summit in Asia — confirms the uniqueness of the chosen format. The project has become a true “media bridge” that is equally interesting to a Russian agronomist and an Indian investor.

Expedition Chronicle and Future Plans

Over the past two years, Victor Kovalev’s team has created a veritable video encyclopedia of the industry. The route has covered:

• Russia: From Bryansk and the Volga region to the Urals and Siberia (including reports from the fields of companies like WeFry, “Kostroma Potato,” and Alexander Krylov’s farms).
• The Origins of the Culture: An expedition to Peru, visiting the International Potato Center (CIP).
• Asia: A series of episodes from China and Kazakhstan.

Having received the status of an international industry ambassador in Delhi, the team has no plans to slow down. The route for the 2026 season already includes new countries, including Kenya (Africa) and states in Central Asia. The mission remains the same: to show the real picture of global potato farming without embellishment.