It is necessary to increase the area under potatoes in Belarus in the future. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko gave the relevant instructions as he visited the private farming enterprise Diana in Shklov District on 18 September, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “The government has been instructed to find target markets over winter. And we have to make up our minds about where we are going to grow potatoes. We have to grow more potatoes in Belarus.”
This is why another instruction was given to make sure that sufficient amounts of seed material are available.
The president remarked that the current area under potatoes in Belarus is comparatively small. “What kind of potato eaters are we if we don’t make potatoes?” he noted. “22,000ha is nothing on the country’s scale.”
Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Karanik suggested that it is not a good idea to increase the overall area under potatoes by adding 30-40ha in a whole range of agricultural enterprises. He believes that potato farming should be expanded in the agricultural enterprises that specialize in growing this crop. “It is the destiny of highly specialized agricultural enterprises,” he said.
The head of state once again formulated the task: “The government should once again make the decision now. If there is a stable target market. You just have to work. The market is available.”
The president remarked that it is necessary to negotiate large regular shipments to buyers in large cities of Russia. There is also seasonal demand for potatoes in Uzbekistan, for instance.
“You just have to get down to it and do it,” the Belarusian leader stressed. “Potatoes have prospects. We don’t produce a lot of potatoes. We have to revive it. We know how to do it.”
Vladimir Malinovsky, head of the private farming enterprise Diana, explained how his business processes are organized, what machines and vehicles are used, how they have managed to use less human resources, explained the state of production and the availability of seeds.
The conversation also touched upon the possibility of making more potatoes at this specific agricultural enterprise. The state is ready to help the enterprise, including with storage facilities. The president said: “As for storage facilities, I will take care of it. We will build whatever you say. 2,000ha is not a problem either. But you have to find. But the key thing is the consumer.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned positive experience of the private farming enterprise in this business: “If you do it properly, it does not need a lot of people. And you have the experience. The key thing is to know how to do it. He knows how to do it in line with the top standards. And he doesn’t hide his knowledge. Come and take a look.”
The president also stated that it would not be a problem to buy ten good imported potato harvesters as part of the efforts to expand the area under the crop on the country’s scale. “But there are good ones made in Gomel. This one [Diana’s imported harvester] may be very good. But the Gomel-made ones are okay. We will tinker with them a bit here and there, will add something over winter. We will make them slightly better.”
Vladimir Malinovsky noted that the Gomel-made Belarusian potato harvesters are quite good. “They are identical to this [imported harvester],” he noted.
The same is true for grain harvesters. There are also good models of Belarusian make that are capable of operating in the fields with the highest crop yields. But it is necessary to constantly work on improving the quality, the head of state encouraged. The production of quality domestic hydraulics was emphasized. It still needs a lot of serious work.
Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered what potato varieties the private farming enterprise Diana grows and what their peculiarities are. Those are Belarusian potato varieties and imports. Specialists said that all of them are good but each requires a certain approach. Naturally, the purpose of each potato variety is different: some varieties are better suited for making potato chips, some are good for making French fries. By the way, the Briz potato variety developed in Belarus is grown even on the Sakhalin Island, Russia.
In conclusion the head of state was treated to local potatoes. He promised he would surely taste some and remarked that he grows potatoes at his own farm and then treats people to them, including heads of state.
