Agricultural news article reports that harvesting of early vegetable crops and potatoes has begun in eight districts of the Irkutsk region. A total of 408.9 thousand hectares of grain and leguminous crops, 22.9 thousand hectares of potatoes, and 3.5 thousand hectares of open field vegetables have been sown for the 2021 harvest. The ministry of agriculture anticipates the production to be available in retail chains and fairs soon. The article also highlights the concern of Russian farmers about labor shortage, leading the Russian government to direct relevant ministries to address the issue by attracting foreign citizens for seasonal agricultural work in 2021.