In the Semikarakorsky district of Russia’s Rostov region lies the country’s largest potato farming enterprise, KFH “Yuzefov N.N.” Reporters visited the farm to see how Don collective farmers live and work. The fields are vast, requiring a car to get around. Planting operates around the clock using mechanized machinery, with special “watchers” — mostly women — monitoring the process to prevent clogs. The farm employs about 200 people working 12-hour shifts, with around-the-clock labor during harvest season. Employees receive a stable salary of 110,000 rubles year-round, regardless of the season, and staff turnover is very low.
The farm grows 15–16 potato varieties, dividing them into food-grade (smooth and shiny for retail) and industrial (for processing into chips and mashed potatoes). Most varieties are imported, with only one domestic sort, “Flamingo.” The farm tests new varieties on experimental fields annually. Interestingly, Semikarakorsk potatoes do not reach local Rostov stores — farmers find it simpler and more profitable to work with Moscow, citing unfavorable conditions imposed by large retail chains and corruption. As farm owner Nikolay Yuzefov put it, Rostov residents end up eating “inferior” imported or Central Russian potatoes while their high-quality local produce goes to the capital.
