CULTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY Ukrainian potato cultivation professionalises Yield increase is necessary Generally speaking, consumption potatoes have a very low yield in Ukraine. Most growers can’t afFord to buy new seed every year. Only when there are sustainably high yields of approx. 50 tons is it possible to buy seed without a loss. In Ukraine, no less than 40 percent of the 24 million tons that are harvested in the country each year are lost. By using improved seed and with more know-how about cultivation and storage, this can soon be brought to a higher level. For we know that the basis, the soil, is fertile. Director of Ukrainian institute for plant testing Petro Vasyliuk tells us that he tests varieties at nine different locations in the country. resistant to viruses. Because the Ukrainians use consumption potatoes as seed and they don’t spray against insects, the seed quickly contracts viruses. Also very important is resistance to drought and heat. Sydorchuk has meanwhile discovered that it is quite difficult to compete with varieties from abroad. The institute in the potato region of Zhitomir currently has a staff of nine. The future of variety breeding depends a great deal on the support of the government. Sydorchuk has no idea how long he can count on that. Mega farm Mriya The effect of such investments is clearly apparent when we look at Mriya, the enormous 300,000 hectare farming business. Modern equipment and enormous investments in management have made it possible for the gigantic farm to increase its potato cultivation from 1,000 hectares to 4,980 hectares in the past five years. One of its management investments is the appointment of Dutchman Willem Nammensma. For the third year running, he has been responsible for the entire potato cultivation at Mriya. To achieve this, he’s been working hard 24/7 throughout the growing season. In addition to potatoes, Mriya – which is predominantly owned by the Ukrainian family Guta – is growing a wide range of crops on its 295,000 hectares. Needless to say that, with 180,000 hectares, corn is their biggest crop. Overcropping requires effort to close the gap From the total potato acreage, Mriya now supplies 600 hectares to the French-fries industry. More than half goes to the Kraft 16 Potato World 2012 • number 4 Pagina 15
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