The Chinese company Linkage 10 December signed a cooperation agreement with Russian investment company "AGROCOM-Alliance" on creation of joint venture for the cultivation of seed potatoes. This is stated in today's message the government of the Penza region.

The final amount of investment and sources of financing of this project were not disclosed.

"AGROCOM-Alliance and Linkage under the agreement will create a database of released varieties of potatoes, improving production of mini-tubers and elite seeds. The company also intends to build a plant for the production of dry potato and starch, as well as storage capacity for long-term storage of ware potatoes.

Linkage begin to implement the project in 2015. "Currently preparing a feasibility study of the project and structure of the newly created company", - says the message of the administration of the Penza region.

"In case of realization of high-tech project of potato production, the new company can rely on the allocation of funds from the budgets for growing potatoes in support of land reclamation and the creation of logistics", is given in the message words of the Governor Vasily Bochkarev on the results of the signing of the agreement.

As previously reported by TASS, the government of the Penza region in October 2014 signed with the company "AGROCOM - Alliance" Protocol of intent for the construction of a plant for the production of potato starch with a total investment of 80 million rubles.

Annual consumption of potatoes in Russia, according to official statistics, approximately 16 million tons, or approximately 11.6 million tons, according to the calculations of the Potato Association of Russia. The production of this lubriplate in Russia in 2013 was about 30.2 million tons, according to the Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation (the Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation).

However, seed potatoes in the industrial production of Russia dependent on imports approximately 50%, said TASS in Potato Union of Russia. Potato imports (food and seed) at the end of 2013 amounted to 448 thousand tons for $233,5 million, according to the Federal customs service of Russia (FCS).

The lack of quality seed potatoes in Russia, among other reasons prompted the government of the Russian Federation on 20 August 2014 to revise the list of products on predamage from 7 August to exclude seed potatoes.

For the same reason previously the Federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance of the Russian Federation (Rosselkhoznadzor) was forced to withdraw 10 January 2014 the restriction on the import into Russia of seed potatoes from the EU, introduced in July 2013.