Growing together: Integrating farmers into value chains with sustainable finance

Growing together: Integrating farmers into value chains with sustainable finance
HomeNewsField Day on Elite Seed Potato Development Held in Chon-Alai District

Field Day on Elite Seed Potato Development Held in Chon-Alai District

On July 29, 2025, a field day of the Value Chain Agro Finance project was held in Zhar-Bashy village, Chon-Alai district, with the participation of 56 stakeholders. Among them were representatives of the District Administration, the Plenipotentiary Office, the State Seed Inspectorate, local self-governments, international and partner organizations, members of the “Zhar-Bashy” cooperative, and invited guests from Uzbekistan.

The theme of the event was “Implementation and Development of Elite Seed Potato Production in the High-Mountain Conditions of Chon-Alai District.” Participants learned about the introduction of elite seed potato categories (S, SE, E), agro-technological features of high-altitude cultivation, the organization of a private quality control system, as well as demonstration plot results and future plans for scaling production and sales.

The field day was organized at three stations:

  • Presentation of the “Zhar-Bashy” Cooperative – its goals, potential, and seed production development plans.

  • Seed Varieties and Private Voluntary Quality Control System – certification stages and seed potato requirements.

  • Demonstration of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery used for cultivation and processing.

The visit of guests from Uzbekistan was a highlight of the event. They inspected the super-super elite potato fields, highly appreciated their quality, and expressed readiness to purchase seed potatoes in the future, specifying varieties of interest.

Interested buyers from Tajikistan were unable to attend due to technical reasons, but confirmed their interest in cooperation. They received supporting documents, including seed characteristics, certificates of authenticity, approval acts, and soil analysis results.

Traditionally, a joint meeting of three cooperatives is held after the field day: “Zhar-Bashy” (producer), “Aravan AgroService” and “Altyn Oroon” (buyers). This year, by mutual agreement, the meeting was postponed closer to the harvest season to set a more accurate price for potatoes.