Photo: ©FAO

The study tour forms part of the project “Establishment of Disease-free National Seed Potato Production System in Azerbaijan”.

The main purpose of the study tour was to learn about new technologies and innovations in potato cultivation in Turkey for future application in Azerbaijan as part of the above project. Between 16 and 21 August, the delegation met with representative of organizations specialized in potato production in order to acquire new knowledge and skills.

On the first day, the delegation visited the Potato Research Institute in Niğde province, Turkey where they were were given a tour of the main infrastructure including the new administrative building, laboratories, greenhouses and sowing areas. The Director of the Institute, Ugur Pirlak, and the heads of the Board, presented the Institute’s general activities as well as its structure, research work and regional activities. The delegation also examined the work of the Institute’s laboratories which specialize in tissue cultures, genetics and breeding, potato diseases and technological testing. Extensive work is underway in these labs to create potato varieties that are resistant to various soil and climatic conditions, diseases and pests.

A discussion on future cooperation between Turkey’s Potato Research Institute and the Vegetable Research Institute under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Agriculture focused on potato variety selection. The delegation expressed a particular interest in the production of virus-free potato mini-tubers in the aeroponic growing system. In addition, they discussed opportunities for the Vegetable Research Institute to apply new technologies in practice, with a special focus on potato variety selection for processing and future production in large areas of our country[DM1] .

The delegation also visited vast underground cold storage areas – natural storage facilities in the provinces of Niğde and Nevsehir that are used as warehouses for potatoes. Cold air in these natural spaces ensures cool temperatures at night without the use of refrigeration equipment, and warmer temperatures during the day as a result of natural insulation provided by the rock walls.

During the tour the delegation also participated in the largest potato production fair in Turkey, the “Potato Days Festival” held in Konya, which is attended by all major Turkish potato companies. The main feature of the fair is the presentation of potato products in demonstration plots. The Turkish Potato Research Institute participated in the fair and presented its own national varieties.

The fair provided an opportunity for the delegation to engage in an exchange of views and to establish relations with a number of potato producers and companies producing agricultural machinery and technological equipment used in potato production. The delegation also acquainted themselves with the Potato Research Institute’s sowing fields and were able to observe crop planting techniques.