PECULIARITIES OF INTENSIVE POTATO PRODUCTION IN TULA REGION
The author has made an analysis of potato growing in the Tula region for 2012-2016, identified the regional features of the industry and determined the main factors of the total potato yield change for all categories of farms. In the region, 59% of total potato production is concentrated in farm enterprises, peasant farms and farms run by individual entrepreneurs. Farm enterprises of the Tula region have established channels for potato selling to wholesale and retail chains. Marketable preparation processing (washing and packing) and processing of potato products are developing in the region. The main factor in increasing the gross potato output in farm enterprises is an increase in yields. The high dependence between the potato acreage and its yield (correlation coefficient - 0.79) has been revealed, the determination coefficient indicates that 63% of the potato yield variation is associated with a change in the potato acreage. It is shown that in the Tula region the development of potato farming goes along an intensive path, which makes potato production a promising and profitable industry. The author lists the main conditions for intensive development of potato production: the availability of certified seed material, high-yielding special-purpose varieties; the compliance of agrotechnical requirements; the use of high-performance and low-injuring equipment; the availability of irrigation system and sufficient amount of mechanized storage facilities.