The harvest campaign is in full swing in the Sverdlovsk region. Local farmers plan to harvest 270,000 tons of potatoes this year, matching last year’s figures. At one agricultural enterprise in the Beloyarsky district, 8,000 tons have already been harvested since the beginning of August, with a total target of 27,000 tons. The equipment operates at a high pace: a Kamaz truck transports 20 tons of potatoes per trip, while a combine harvester can collect up to 180 tons of tubers daily. Unlike last season, when farmers lost 15% of their harvest due to fungal infection (late blight), this year the disease was detected in time, allowing infected plants to be saved. According to farm director Vitaly Samorodov, the potato skins have hardened properly this season, ensuring successful storage.
Particular attention is paid to potato varieties adapted to the Ural climate. For the second consecutive year, farmers are growing the varieties “Lux,” “Terra,” “Alaska,” and “Shah.” The “Terra” variety deserves special mention: it can independently combat fungal diseases and is resistant to both drought and cold. This variety is now being distributed not only in the Urals but also in southern regions — in the Rostov and Astrakhan regions — where yields reach up to 45 tons per hectare. Before reaching store shelves, the harvested potatoes undergo mandatory drying for 3–4 days, followed by a two-week “healing period” during which cuts and micro-cracks on the tubers heal. After that, the temperature in storage is gradually reduced to 4.5 degrees Celsius to stop further tuber growth. The harvest campaign, covering over 11,000 hectares, will continue until mid-October.
