Bay City Potatoes

Bay City Potatoes

　　Bay City Potatoes are a specialty of Bay County in the Aksu region of Xinjiang. The county has a long history of potato cultivation, making potatoes one of the "Three Treasures of Bay City."

　　The cool climate, ample sunlight, and significant diurnal temperature range exceeding 15°C during the growth period, along with irrigation using Tianshan snowmelt, produce uniquely flavored potatoes that are highly favored by merchants and consumers alike. As a result, the product is sold far and wide to multiple regions within Xinjiang, including Urumqi, Turpan, and Korla, indicating strong potential for industrial development.

　　In recent years, following the development philosophy of “specialization, professionalization, base construction, scale production, and commercialization” in characteristic agriculture, and the strategic approach of “one product per village” and “one product per township,” Bay County has further refined its contract farming model of “leading enterprise + base + farmer.” Relying on Xinjiang Jianda Potato Industry Co., Ltd., it has implemented the cultivation of industrial and table-use potatoes across 24,233.8 mu (approximately 1,619 hectares) in 14 towns and farms—including Laohutai Township and Chaqi Town—where planting techniques are relatively mature and community foundations are solid. The county has promoted a selection of early-, mid-, and late-maturing premium potato varieties such as Longshu No. 3 and Feiwuruita, and has widely adopted practical technologies including soil testing and formulated fertilization, integrated pest and disease control, and the use of biogas slurry and residue. These efforts have significantly increased both the yield and quality of the potatoes.