To provide state support to potato and vegetable producers in the country, on January 1, 2023, the federal project “Development of Vegetable and Potato Growing” was launched. Kuzbass is one of the 76 regions of Russia where this project is being implemented, and it is planned to allocate about 61 million rubles to Kuzbass farmers.
“Our farmers provide vegetables to the inhabitants of the region. In the current economic situation, this is an extremely important area of work for farmers. We should not depend on import supplies and foreign seeds. Own fresh, natural and high-quality products are the key to the stability of the region’s economy and the health of our people. In addition, we grow very tasty potatoes. Last season in Kuzbass, the area planted with potatoes was increased by 347 hectares compared to 2021 and amounted to 8693 hectares, 59 hectares more was occupied by vegetables of the “borscht” set. As a result, 200.9 thousand tons of potatoes and 31.5 thousand tons of vegetables were harvested. This year it is necessary to increase production volumes even more. The new state program will help with this,” Governor Sergei Tsivilev stressed.
The head of the region also pointed out the need to increase the production of greenhouse vegetables and herbs. So, according to the results of 2022, 17.4 thousand tons of vegetables and green crops of protected ground were harvested in the region. In particular, the harvest of cucumbers amounted to 13 thousand tons, tomatoes – 3.9 thousand tons, lettuce, parsley, dill – 0.5 tons. Over the past five years, production has grown by 118% (in 2018 – only 8 thousand tons).
Under the new state program, agricultural producers will be able to receive subsidies for elite seed production, an increase in the production of vegetables in open and closed ground, and agrotechnological work. In addition, farms building or modernizing vegetable stores will be able to apply for a subsidy covering a quarter of the cost of the work. The size of the subsidy for a particular manufacturer will depend on the volume of products produced. The rules for submitting applications for participation in the new project will be published later on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kuzbass.
Recall that in the region about 20 enterprises are engaged in the production of open ground vegetables, they have 16 vegetable stores for 41 thousand tons. The main production of open ground vegetables is located in the SPK Beregovoy in the Kemerovo District, the enterprise provides about half of the gross harvest in the region.
Potato growing is the main area of work in 25 enterprises of the region, they have 48 potato storage facilities with a capacity of 140 thousand tons. In terms of potato cultivation, the best results were achieved by KDV Agro LLC of the Yashkinsky District, which has the largest potato planting area in the region; about 30% of the total potato volume is harvested here.
Five farms are engaged in the production of greenhouse vegetables: in the Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Belovsky and Yashkinsky districts. The total area of all greenhouses is 28 hectares.
