Agriculture in Kazakhstan has always played an important role in providing the country with food, and the potato harvest is one of the key aspects of this industry. This year, despite some difficulties, the chairman of the board of the Union of Potato and Vegetable Growers of Kazakhstan, Kairat Bisetayev, expressed an optimistic view of the situation.
Let’s look at some facts first. The area allocated to potatoes in the country remains stable, with an increase of 200 to 300 hectares observed every year. This fact testifies to the stability of the industry. Even during the extremely hot summer, Kazakhstan’s potato fields continued to develop thanks to regular watering.
However, starting from the moment of harvesting, our country was attacked by heavy rains, primarily in the north of Kazakhstan, where the main potato farms are located. These rains have slowed down the pace of harvesting, but there is still time to restore what was lost. The Karaganda region was somewhat less affected, and the cleanup process there continues, albeit with rain. On the other hand, Pavlodar, Akmola, Kustanai and North Kazakhstan regions are still struggling with weather difficulties.
Regarding the ruble and its relationship to the tenge, Kairat Bisetayev warns against a possible influx of Russian potatoes in the fall, which, traditionally, may be cheaper than domestic products. However, he believes that this is a temporary phenomenon and there will be no problems with sales in the future. There are also plans to increase potato exports to Uzbekistan, and at the moment there is no reason to worry about this.
The main goal now is to complete the potato harvest as quickly as possible and ensure that it is stored dry. The rains certainly create some obstacles, but Kairat Bisetayev expresses hope for the successful completion of this task. Ultimately, Kazakhstan’s agriculture is on strong legs, and local potato and vegetable growers are ready to overcome all difficulties in order to provide the population with high-quality products.
