In Bashkortostan this year, the area under potatoes will be increased. This was stated in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic. In 2022, the farmers of the region plan to sow 60,000 hectares. At the same time, the Ufa branch of the Russian Agricultural Center intends to increase the production of virus-free potato seeds, and the country’s government announces measures to support vegetable growers. Details from Gulnaz Nuraeva.
Outsiders are not allowed into the special laboratory. This is a sterile area where potatoes are cloned. New plants are obtained by microbiologists by cuttings in vitro.
It is one of 6,000 microplants grown in the laboratory. Initially indoor supported
16-hour daylight hours and air temperature at plus 19 degrees. Each seedling is placed in a special nutrient medium. It contains all the necessary substances.
Victoria Egorova, Deputy Head of the Production Department of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rosselkhozcenter” in the Republic of Belarus:
“This is the ability to multiply potatoes in large quantities in the shortest possible time. In addition, we deal with virus-free potatoes. This means that no pathogens are present in the potato.”
This year, two new varieties are cultivated in the Ufa branch of the Rosselkhoztsentr – Terra and Gornyak. They were bred by Yekaterinburg breeders, it was from there that the source material of virus-free potatoes was brought to the capital of the republic, which Ufa specialists are now scaling up.
Guldar Sibagatullina, head of the production department of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rosselkhozcenter” in the Republic of Belarus:
“We get virus-free potatoes from a healthy tuber due to the fact that the apical meristem is cut off, diseases and viruses do not accumulate in it.”
The production of seed potatoes is a process that determines what the future crop will be. Therefore, at each stage of production, specialists additionally check it for viruses.
Virus-free potatoes in Ufa began to be cultivated in 2015. Today, it is actively grown by farmers in the Tuymazinsky, Abzelilovsky, and Miyakinsky districts. This year, the number of those wishing to buy seeds has increased dramatically.
Aidar Khamatshin, head of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rosselkhoztsentr” in the Republic of Belarus:
“Our potatoes are, of course, seed potatoes. Very expensive to manufacture. One tuber costs about 30 rubles. We offer 10-15 tubers. They keep multiplying. If we talk about potato growing in general, it is necessary.”
Against the background of increased demand for seeds, the Government of the country announced the expansion of support measures. In 2023, a new federal project “Development of vegetable and potato growing” will start in Russia. Along with small and medium-sized enterprises, the self-employed and owners of personal subsidiary plots can also count on the subsidy.
The increased demand for seeds confirms the general trend. This year, the agrarians of the republic increase the area under crops by a third: instead of 43,000 hectares, potatoes will occupy almost 60,000.
