Vladimir Semeykin, head of the farm “Terra”, Kostanay region, Republic of Kazakhstan:
– Our farm has been growing potatoes for the 25th season. For the last decade, we have been planting crops on 175-180 hectares annually, and on another 50 – carrots, cabbage, onions, table beets.
Half of the area under potatoes is occupied by Gala, and other varieties of exclusively Western selection. Although we have many Kazakh varieties in our republic, unfortunately, today they cannot compete with Dutch or German ones.
We acquire the elite in Europe, and every year, and then propagate in our fields. The seed material of the first reproduction obtained from an area of 15-16 hectares is used for planting marketable potatoes. To cover our needs, this is usually enough. The farm also sells packaged seeds, second reproduction, to the public and farmers.
All crops are cultivated on irrigation, otherwise the harvest in such conditions may not be obtained. We start harvesting early potatoes in the first decade of August, when at least 40 tons of tubers have grown per hectare. The planned yield indicator, according to which we calculate the amount of fertilizers applied, is 50 tons per hectare. Depending on the characteristics of a particular year, the soil of the land plot, the variety of potatoes, the gross harvest on the fields of the farm is from 40 to 67 tons per hectare.
If we talk about diseases and pests, then they are, but they do not annoy us much. For a quarter of a century, it has never happened that because of them we lost 20-30 percent of the crop, in rare cases – no more than 3-5 percent. Leading Western companies, including Syngenta, Bayer and BASF, are among the manufacturers of plant protection products on the market. The Russian “August” is also confidently conquering its segment.
For the cultivation and storage of potatoes, we have assembled a complete line of GRIMME field and warehouse equipment. The situation is the same for vegetables of the borscht set. Each culture has its own machines and units that cover the technology of their cultivation from sowing to harvesting. Irrigation equipment is also European: Italian, Spanish, English.
KH “Terra” works mainly in the Kostanay region and does not seek to increase production volumes. The south of Kazakhstan receives potatoes from the regions closest to it, in the west they are looking for cheaper products in the border regions of Russia. We have to compete with our colleagues in the local market, which we successfully do by organizing our own outlets to sell directly to the end customer.
There is only one way to stable sales – the cultivation of high-quality products for which there will be a steady demand. We followed it. For example, we do not impose ourselves on retail chains, but if they show interest in our product, we supply it.
Potatoes and vegetables are sold without a trace for the new season, so at this stage we do not set the task of building a processing plant. Under the order, we sell washed and packaged products, as well as cleaned and cut products in vacuum packaging.
Growing potatoes should be profitable, because this product cannot be replaced, and there will always be a demand for it. But not everyone can stay in the market. High chances are for those who receive an above-average, high-quality crop and sell it at a good price. If our state pursues a competent policy and stimulates the industrial production of culture, there will be enough work for our lifetime.
