Potato Production Farm, Eastern Russia
Project Details
A 300-hectare potato farm located in Eastern Russia. The farmers had not produced potatoes before and were securing a contract to sell stored potatoes to the military. They were dairy farmers with experience in row crop production, specifically corn.
The entire plan consisted of 500 hectares of potatoes, 2,250 hectares of soybeans, and 2,250 hectares of corn.
Our Responsibilities
Our group was responsible for purchasing pre-owned equipment from the USA, coordinating freight to Eastern Russia, creating an agronomy program, training employees on equipment operation, and implementing the production plan.
This was one of the first projects we did in Eastern Russia. The group of farmers was excellent in milk production and was looking to expand their operations to include corn, soybeans, and potatoes.
At the onset of this project, we did not use GPS, yield monitors, or mapping. We kept it as simple as possible for the farmers to understand the mechanical side of the crop production cycle. Later, GPS, mapping, yield monitoring, and soil sampling were implemented.
Challenges
This project brought a whole new set of challenges we had not faced in farming. America's agricultural advancements over the years have outpaced other countries in logistics, dealership structures, parts availability, on-farm storage, and field layout.
Some of the first issues we faced were logistics. Driving and breaking down a few miles from home to get a part sitting on a shelf at the local dealership is a far cry from the situation at the farm we assisted in developing in Eastern Russia. Proper planning of parts, sister equipment, and having plans A, B, & C is absolutely necessary for these more remote areas that were not fully developed at the time.
Planting, spreading, and spraying with markers and foamers was another task we had not anticipated. It's relatively easy to jump into the TerraGator or a tractor, turn on the AgLeader, snap an A & B line, and start the field work back in America.
The last hurdle was speaking the local language. As easy as that may sound, we often resorted to drawing images in the dirt to communicate. While this slowed our operations somewhat, it taught us all a valuable lesson in working together without direct communication.
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Limited Funding
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Fields uneven
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No Backup Equipment
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Language Barriers
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Nutrient-Deficient Soils
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Older Equipment
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Limited Part Availability
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Import Customs and Duties
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Theft of Crops
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No GPS
Successes
We built a team of well-aged, incredibly talented Russian farmers. Implemented some newer techniques they adapted to quickly and successfully. We favorably harvested a great crop, and the farmers pursued their goal of implementing potatoes and other crops into their farm.
Not only that, but we managed to put together a plan to avoid some of the early problems we faced with logistics and planning, making the following years much more manageable.
At the end of the first season, all the challenges the team had faced were identified and addressed. This made the following season less strenuous and more profitable for the farmer and our group.
A great project and a real pleasure teaching farmers in this region about potato production and equipment selection. A proud culture and dedicated group with a get-it-done attitude made this one of our favorite projects. It was a real pleasure working with them.
Thousands of hectares lie fallow in this region. At that time potatoes were a staple food source for the local people.
