Innovative Home Potato Cultivation Method Emerges Amidst Supply Crisis in Russia

On Thursday, scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) revealed a novel technique for growing potatoes in home environments, according to a report from the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti.

The method was developed by researchers at the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center, a division of RAS, in light of a looming potato shortage and increasing prices in the country.

Nikolai Semchuk, a leading researcher at the Novgorod Research Institute of Agriculture, explained to RIA Novosti that “this innovative technique does not necessitate expensive chemicals or specialized agricultural tools.”

He further elaborated, “We have crafted a method that safeguards potato tubers from diseases, enabling them to thrive in apartments, houses, or summer cottages.”

While Semchuk did not disclose specific details about the method, he mentioned that it facilitates a “sufficient yield” of potatoes in “short timeframes.”

According to market sources cited by Kommersant, potato prices surged by 85% in 2024.

In response to the price hike and an emerging potato shortage, some regions have halted potato exports.

Starting in January, Russia began permitting duty-free potato imports from “friendly” nations to address the anticipated nationwide supply deficit.

In April, Duma Deputy Boris Chernyshov recommended that the government temporarily set retail potato prices.

The Agriculture Ministry reported to the state-operated TASS news agency that potato imports have surged more than threefold since the beginning of the year, totaling 548,000 tons, with Egypt and China identified as the primary suppliers.