After being briefed before a huge map showing the long-term plan for potato production in the county, he looked round the farm under construction to learn about the progress made in the project.

The potato farm is of weighty importance in turning Paekam County into a centre for potato production, he noted, setting forth important tasks for building the farm.

Noting that eye-opening changes have taken place in the potato farming in various mountainous areas including Taehongdan County in recent years, he said that such stirring reality clearly proves the validity and great vitality of the Party's policy for bringing about a radical turn in potato farming.

What is the most important for the construction of the potato farm is to give priority to building roads under a long-term plan, he said.

Saying that the experience gained by Taehongdan County proves that it is necessary to successfully create shelterbelts to reap a rich and stable harvest, he underlined the need to plant many tall trees by the sides of fields to protect them from the wind in highlands.

Underlining the need to mechanize all farm operations from sowing to weeding, manuring and harvesting, he called for supplying sufficient number of machines and other means necessary for them.

He said in order to steadily increase the potato yield it is necessary to thoroughly implement the Party's policy for bringing about a radical turn in seed improvement and, at the same time, boost the soil fertility by developing stockbreeding in a big way and establish an irrigation system.

Underscoring the need to take thorough measures for storing and processing potatoes in keeping with the sharp increase in the potato production so as to make an effective use of the harvested potatoes, he urged the county to take measures to have in place facilities for storing and processing potatoes in advance.

As the large farm is now under construction, the county is faced with Herculean tasks to build dwelling houses, schools, kindergartens, hospitals and many other structures, he noted, adding that in order to successfully carry them out, officials and other working people should pool efforts and push forward all work in a bold and big way through a blitz and by a finish-one-by-one method.

He expressed great expectation and conviction that the people in the county would turn out as one in the drive for changing the land of Paekam into the nation's leading potato producer as early as possible and thus take the lead in the socialist rural construction and the agricultural production.

He was accompanied by Kim Hi Thaek, chief secretary of the Ryanggang Provincial Committee of the WPK, Secretary Kim Ki Nam, Department Directors Kim Kyong Hui and Jang Song Thaek, First Vice Department Directors Ju Kyu Chang and Ri Je Gang of the WPK Central Committee, Hyon Chol Hae and Ri Myong Su, department directors of the NDC.