Azernews.Az

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Uzbekistan has created favorable conditions for the sustainable development of agriculture.

It almost completely provides the population with basic types of food, and industry - with agricultural raw materials. In addition, agriculture is the leading export sector of the economy.

For the first time, Uzbekistan will celebrate the international day of potatoes on March 19. The exhibition of potatoes will be held within the framework of the event. In addition, the first plant for the production of french fries and flakes in Central Asia will be launched.

According to the Association of Potato Producers of Uzbekistan, the new plant is located in Sergeli region. The total production capacity will be up to 20,000 tons of finished products per year.

“This figure will cover the needs of the country, and some of the plant’s products will be exported abroad,” the report said.

International Potato Day is celebrated for more than a decade in countries such as the United States and Russia.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato. However, there is no exact information about the date when the potato day is celebrated.

In 1995, the potato became the first vegetable grown in space.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan issued a resolution regarding the introduction of the Dutch potato growing technology on July 6, 1994.

Today, 65 percent of all potato growing accounts for five regions with less saline soils - Andijan, Namangan, Fergana, Samarkand and Tashkent regions.

Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Belarus and Russia are the main suppliers of potatoes to Uzbekistan.

Earlier, a new order was approved in Uzbekistan, under which all farmers will have to complete the transition to a multidisciplinary basis by 2021. At the same time, land lease agreements with farms that have not mastered multidisciplinary activity will be terminated starting from January 1, 2022.

By the end of 2020, Uzbekistan intends to implement a set of measures to increase potato production by 35 percent, the authorities plan to bring the figure to 3.6 million tons.

The country intends to establish experimental stations in the Tashkent, Djizak, Namangan and Samarkand regions for the production of seed varieties “super super elite”, “super elite” improved from viruses and diseases, as well as specialized insulator greenhouses.

---

Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz