Belarus may reach an export volume of 1 million tonnes of potatoes within the next 5 years.

On September 7, Pruzhany District / Alina Grishkevich - BELTA /. Belarus may reach an export volume of 1 million tons of potatoes within the next 5 years. This viewpoint was expressed by the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, today during his visit to OJSC "Otechestvo" in Pruzhany District, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. As the President was informed, within the next 5 years it is planned to increase the sown areas for potatoes from the current 51 thousand hectares to 65 thousand hectares, as well as to almost double the potato production in the public sector to 2 million tons, of which 500 thousand tons could be exported. However, after talking with the Governor of the Brest Region, the Head of State expressed the opinion that producers could export significantly more – up to 1 million tons of potatoes.

With the aim of further developing potato cultivation, it is proposed to improve the existing seed production system for this crop, and to optimise the number of domestically bred potato varieties (of different maturity groups and intended uses) within the sown area structure to 20 names. As informed to Alexander Lukashenko, the improved seed production system will allow for the concentration of potato seed production in 16 seed-producing organisations, the full certification of seeds at all stages, and the complete satisfaction of the needs of organisations and the population for high-quality seed potatoes. It is also proposed to continue the consolidation of potato production organisations with a planting area of at least 300-500 hectares per farm. These large enterprises will need to be equipped with specialised machinery and equipment for potato cultivation, harvesting, and processing, supplemented with a set of modern machinery to ensure the complete technological process of potato cultivation and harvesting, including the installation of sorting and packaging lines.

Among the directions that will contribute to the development of potato cultivation are the construction of new modern potato storage facilities, and the reconstruction and modernisation of existing ones with a total capacity of about 400 thousand tonnes. This will ensure the full preservation of potatoes until the most economically advantageous time for their sale, and in turn, will provide an opportunity to earn an additional Br200 thousand per tonne of potatoes stored.

Regarding potato processing, it is planned to organize starch production in the volume of about 18 thousand tons, and potato products (including the production of import-substituting products) in the volume of about 12 thousand tons. For this purpose, potato-growing organizations will need to be reconstructed and technically re-equipped. It will also be necessary to form own raw material zones for growing potatoes of a specific target purpose for the production of specific types of products. All this will allow loading production capacities with quality raw materials, reducing their consumption per unit of product, and consequently, the prime cost of finished products by 25-30%. For the further development of potato growing, it is also planned to create 14 integration structures for the production, storage, processing, and sale of potatoes and potato products on the basis of large organizations, where the planting area reaches 300-500 hectares each. According to specialists, all this will allow improving the quality of potatoes for food and technical purposes, ensuring the production of a wide range of potato products, reducing waste during processing, and also decreasing the import of potato products. -0-

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