JINAN, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A China-bred variety of high starch potatoes has gained popularity in Kazakhstan, where poor resistance to diseases and pests has undermined yield of the local staple food.

The potato variety grown in Kazakhstan, dubbed "Xisen 6," yields nearly 5,000 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares), more than twice as much as the local varieties.

It was introduced by Xisen Potato Industry Group Co., Ltd. in east China's Shandong Province, a high-tech agricultural enterprise, with annual export of potato seeds standing at 150,000 tonnes.

In 2017, Xisen cooperated with an agrarian technical university in Kazakhstan to jointly develop new potato varieties and promote effective cultivation technology.

In recent years, farm produce from China has been more and more favored by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

With more than one year of repeated trials, the high starch "Xisen 6" had been improved and adapted well," said Kong Haiming from the company.