Belarusian Made Ironic Video Of Potato Harvesting

Ten years ago the economist figured out that the harvesting of potatoes was unprofitable.

Economist Aleh Lialkouski sent to the Onliner.by editors’ office a video made during the harvesting. The author describes it as follows: "The battle for the harvest-2017, or a glimpse of Belarusian national sport – senseless and merciless." According to Aleh, this is a Belarusian tradition, from which it is time to get rid of.

– It's our old family tradition, – Aleh laughs. – Grandparents are 80 years old already. They cannot cope with the harvest themselves, – and the whole family comes to the village to harvest potatoes, every year it’s the same thing. I made this comic video at the time of harvesting: here is my uncle, brother, grandfather, grandmother and a bit of me.

Aleh says that ten years ago he figured out that the harvesting of potatoes was unprofitable, and he has been persuading the family to give up this tradition.

– I am an economist and I has found out that it makes no sense to plant potatoes, – Aleh explains. – Travel expenses, food and drink, special machinery for harvesting cost a lot, and the profit is minimal. But it is a Belarusian tradition. About five houses have remained in our village, people leave gradually. But then the children of elderly people come to these houses and plant potatoes again. I hope that this year we will abandon this senseless Belarusian tradition after all.