Russia in the 19th century was the leading agricultural country in the world at the beginning of the 20th century. supplied grain, dairy and meat products, wool, flax, honey, etc. to the world market, and since the 70s, it was an importer of basic types of food.
At the end of the 90s. the share of food imports in Russia was over 30%, that is, the country lost its role in the world market and food security. Until 1990, Russia occupied 6th-7th place in the world in terms of consumption of basic food products per capita, and by 2000 it was already 45th place.
The task of doubling the country's GDP by 2010, set by the President of the Russian Federation, for Agriculture was unrealistic under the agrarian policy in force before 2006. Over the past 5 years, the annual growth in production has averaged 1.4% across the country, and the financial recovery of agriculture has been slow. enterprises, the share of unprofitable farms in 2004 was 33.5%, the following negative trends in the agricultural sector of the economy continue today:
¦increasing gap in the living standards of rural and urban populations;
¦the socio-economic crisis in rural areas is worsening (unemployment, destruction social infrastructure and depopulation of villages);
¦decrease in the share of own food to supply the country's population;
¦a crisis in the reproduction of material, technical, personnel and natural-ecological potential of agriculture caused by low investments.
Agriculture plays an important role in the present and future economy of the country as an industry that provides life support and gives development to many sectors of industry, fuel and energy and defense complexes, affects the demographic situation, public health and Russia’s participation in the global division of labor and integration.
According to Academician of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Sciences I.G. Ushachev, the role of the agro-industrial complex should be considered from economic, social, environmental and political positions (Fig. 2).
Rice. 2.
Source: APK. 2005. No. 5. P. 24--31.
The share of agriculture in Russia's GDP was 5.4% in 2003 (630.8 billion rubles), and in the value of fixed assets 4.5% versus 11.4% in 1990 (2.5 times less) . The share of investment in agriculture fell from 15.4% in 1990 to 2.9% in 2003 (5.5 times), that is, the contribution of agriculture to Russia’s GDP is significantly higher than investment in it (1 ,7 times). But the importance of the agro-industrial complex cannot be assessed only by its share in GDP; its main role is in improving the quality of life of the population.
In the field of economics, the level of development of agro-industrial production mainly determines the amount and quality of food consumption by the population. Today, the population's expenses on food in total expenses amount to an average of 60% in Russia, which is 3 times higher than the level of 1990.
The level of food consumption per capita (in calories) decreased by 30%, including meat - by 40%, milk - by 50%, fish products - by 40% compared to the level of 1990 (Table 16) .
Table 16Food consumption per capita, kg/g.
|
Physiologist. norm |
2003 back to normal |
||||
|
Meat and meat products |
|||||
|
Milk and dairy products |
|||||
|
Fish and fish products |
|||||
|
Vegetable oil |
|||||
|
Vegetables and melons |
|||||
|
Fruits and berries |
|||||
|
Bread products (bread, pasta, flour, cereals) |
|||||
|
Potato |
The source is the same.
It is estimated that in the lowest income groups the share of food expenditures exceeds 70%. Meat consumption due to Russian production is only 32 kg out of 52 kg (60%).
Food imports to Russia amount to last years 20--25 billion dollars/year, although Russia has every opportunity to meet the population’s needs for basic food products.
According to economists’ calculations, an increase in production volume in agriculture by 1,000 rubles. entails an increase in the need for the production of machinery and equipment by 2.3 thousand rubles, and for other industries (resource suppliers) - by 3 thousand rubles.
One agricultural an employee is able to provide employment for another 6-7 people. in other areas of the economy. Agriculture and food industry countries generate a volume of financial flows amounting to 2.5 trillion rubles, which is 18% of the output of all goods in the Russian economy. The agricultural sector in the economy is, first of all, socially significant. Monitoring conducted by the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics allowed us to identify 5 priority areas in the country's economy: demographic situation, formation of the labor and employment market, rural youth, poverty, development of social and engineering infrastructure in rural areas. The demographic situation in rural areas is worsening: compared to 2000, the rural population has decreased by 1.1 million people. (in 2006 only 38.35 million people), the share of the total population is 27%. The main reason for the deterioration is low birth rate; The mortality rate is 1.5 times higher than the birth rate due to high morbidity in the population, especially among pregnant women, which is associated with deteriorating working and living conditions.
The village also “leads” in mortality - 1.7 times higher than in the city. The mortality rate of men aged 30-49 years doubled by 1990. The process of rural depopulation is underway: during the period between censuses (1989-2002), more than 13 thousand rural settlements were depopulated.
Overall rural unemployment in many regions exceeds critical level(10% in 2003), and actually amounts to about 4 million people, and the level of youth unemployment (under 30 years of age) reached 17.3%.
In 2003, 25.2 million rural residents, or 66%, were below the income poverty line rural population. Wages in agriculture remain the lowest among sectors of the economy and are approximately 3 times lower than in cities.
All these facts require an urgent solution in social programs villages that should be included in the overall strategy for the development of the agro-industrial complex until 2012 and beyond.
The reasons for the agrarian crisis, according to leading agricultural experts (A.I. Arkhipov, I.I. Buzdalov, I.G. Ushachev, etc.), lie in the underestimation by our state and government, first of all, of the role and place of agriculture in the economy country, the absence of a clear concept for the development of reform, ignoring the opinion of the majority of peasants and their reluctance to change their usual way of life on collective and state farms, which they lost with the collapse of large agricultural enterprises. enterprises and certain social benefits that they had.
Therefore, reform from above did not find support from below and caused a deterioration in the economic situation in the village. Other reasons contributed to the rural crisis:
¦lack of economically sound pricing, financial, credit and tax policies;
¦increased monopoly of commercial banks and industries related to agriculture (processing, marketing, trade);
¦weak protection of domestic producers, stimulation of imports of many types of food to the detriment of their own agriculture. production;
¦underestimation of the role of science in carrying out reforms and the lack of a mechanism for economic incentives for the introduction of new technologies and achievements of scientific and technological progress.
Agriculture is a branch of the economy aimed at providing the population with food (food, food) and obtaining raw materials for a number of industries. The industry is one of the most important, represented in almost all countries. World agriculture employs about 1 billion economically active population (EAP). The food security of the state depends on the state of the industry. The problems of agriculture are directly or indirectly related to such sciences as agronomy, animal husbandry, land reclamation, crop production, forestry, etc.
The emergence of agriculture is associated with the so-called “Neolithic revolution” in the means of production, which began about 12 thousand years ago and led to the emergence of a productive economy and the subsequent development of civilization.
The role of agriculture in the economy of a country or region shows its structure and level of development. As indicators of the role of agriculture, the share of people employed in agriculture among the economically active population, as well as the share of agriculture in the structure of the gross domestic product, are used. These indicators are quite high in most developing countries, where more than half of the economically active population is employed in agriculture. Agriculture there follows an extensive development path, that is, an increase in production is achieved by expanding the acreage, increasing the number of livestock, and increasing the number of people employed in agriculture. In countries whose economies are agricultural, the rates of mechanization, chemicalization, land reclamation, etc. are low.
Most high level agriculture has reached developed countries in Europe and North America who have entered the post-industrial stage. Agriculture employs 2-6% of the economically active population there. In these countries, the “green revolution” occurred back in the middle of the 20th century; agriculture is characterized by science-based organization, increased productivity, the use of new technologies, agricultural machinery systems, pesticides and mineral fertilizers, the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology, robotics and electronics, that is develops along an intensive path. cooperation agro-industrial agriculture
Similar progressive changes are also occurring in industrial countries, but the level of intensification in them is still much lower, and the share of people employed in agriculture is higher than in post-industrial countries. At the same time, in developed countries there is a crisis of food overproduction, and in agricultural countries, on the contrary, one of the the most pressing problems is the food problem (the problem of malnutrition and hunger).
Developed agriculture is one of the country's security factors, as it makes it less dependent on other countries. For this reason, agriculture is supported and subsidized in developed, industrial countries, although with economic point In view of this, it would be more profitable to import products from less developed countries.
Let's consider the place and importance of the agricultural sector in the country's economy.
The main source of food is agriculture, which is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any state. It produces over 12% of the gross social product and more than 15% of Russia's national income, and concentrates 15.7% of fixed production assets.
Self-sufficiency in food depends on the state of agriculture, which provides vital products: food and raw materials for the production of consumer goods.
Food production, its distribution, exchange and consumption are the basis for the functioning of the state’s economic system. It is closely connected with the life activity of the main subject and object of economic activity - people, labor.
Agricultural production is the main component of the state's agro-industrial complex. Its significant difference from most sectors of the economy is that in comparison with them it is less efficient. The capital invested in it brings less profit. Therefore, low-income agriculture is not able to participate on an equal footing (compared to industry) in intersectoral competition without external support.
Agriculture is characterized by conservatism and inelasticity, inadequate response to market conditions and demands. Thus, with an increase in demand for agricultural products, agricultural production with its features excludes the possibility rapid response and increasing production output. There are a number of restrictions on increasing the growth rate of agricultural production. It is impossible to significantly increase the area of cultivated land, even with increased investment. This is due to the natural limitation of agricultural land. The increase in the number of livestock, especially breeding stock, is associated with a rather long period of time for raising it for many animal species. So, it takes about three years to raise a dairy herd for milk production. It takes more than five years to create a fruit-bearing garden, and at least three years to create vineyards. The scale of solving the problem of ensuring food security affects all areas of the agro-industrial complex and the interests of the population as a whole.
Agricultural policy, in turn, is part of the country’s general economic policy. Along with the concept of agricultural policy, the concepts of agricultural, food, and agro-industrial policy are used to denote the activities of the state in relation to branches of the agro-industrial complex.
Agricultural policy is divided into agricultural (in favor of producers) and food (in favor of consumers). At the same time, the state is considered as an intermediary between taxpayers (consumers of products) and rural producers. Agriculture, in comparison with other sectors of the national economy, is given more vital important function, since food consumption is a primary need for every person and society as a whole.
The aggravation of the food problem determines the extreme relevance of the development of agriculture, related industries, the development of agrarian relations and agrarian policy.
It should be noted that problems in Russian Federation regionally differentiated, and the emerging threats have a pronounced regional character: the unemployment rate, food security, arrears of wages and pensions. Therefore it is especially important differentiated approach to address specific economic issues related to food supply, depending on the capabilities and characteristics of each region.
Thus, agriculture is the main source of food and agricultural raw materials in the world. It is designed to satisfy the growing needs of the population for food, and the needs of industry for raw materials. Food, as well as its production, distribution, exchange and consumption, is an important integral part functioning of the world system and occupy a special place in the world economy and politics. Food is directly related to people’s livelihoods; its shortage is perceived as a disaster. The food market determines the state of the economy and social stability of society, therefore its development is controlled in all countries.
The role and structure of the agro-industrial complex in the country’s economic system
Agro-industrial complex(AIC) unites all sectors of the economy involved in the production of agricultural products, their processing and delivery to the consumer. The importance of the agro-industrial complex lies in providing the country with food and some other consumer goods.
Most common model of the agro-industrial complex usually includes three main areas.
First sphere includes industries producing means of production for agriculture and industries processing agricultural raw materials: tractor and agricultural engineering, production of equipment for livestock, food and light industry, production of mineral fertilizers, feed and microbiological industries, rural industrial construction.
Second sphere— agriculture itself (farming and animal husbandry).
Third sphere— a system of industries for industrial processing and marketing of agricultural raw materials and food: food, light industry, procurement system, transportation, storage and sale of agricultural products.
The location of the first and third links of the agro-industrial complex is largely determined by the territorial organization of agricultural production. Processing, warehousing and storage of agricultural products are largely consumer-oriented. The territorial concentration in suburban areas and highly urbanized areas of production of potatoes, vegetables and other crop products is also due to the activation of households and farmers.
In the 1990s. There was a redistribution of agricultural production between large enterprises (former collective and state farms), households and private farms. Thus, if in 1990 large enterprises produced 74% of agricultural products, then in 2007 - 44%, i.e. their share decreased by almost half. On the contrary, the share of personal subsidiary farms population grew from 20% in 1990 to 49% in 2007. The remaining 7.5% of agricultural production in 2007 came from farms.
In 2007, households produced almost 89% of potatoes, about 80% of vegetables, fruits and berries, almost half of meat and milk, and a quarter of eggs.
Agriculture
Agriculture- the most important sphere, which is a complex of industries (agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, forestry, crafts) associated with the development (collection, extraction) of plant and animal resources.
Agriculture is the most important component agro-industrial complex(AIC), which, in addition to farms directly related to the development of natural resources, includes manufacturing industries that produce means of production for agriculture (machines, fertilizers, etc.) and process agricultural raw materials into final consumer products. The ratio of these sectors of the agro-industrial complex in developed countries is 15, 35 and 50%, respectively. In most developing countries, the agro-industrial complex is in its infancy and the proportions of its industries can be defined as 40:20:40, i.e., natural-climatic and human labor remain the dominant factors of agricultural production. Agro-industrial complex of developed countries- these are, as a rule, large commercial enterprises (plantations, farms, etc.), using to the maximum extent modern means production at all stages of economic activity - from the field to storage, processing and packaging of ready-to-consume products. The intensity of agricultural production in developed countries is determined by significant capital investments per unit area (in Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands - up to $10,000/ha), as well as the widespread use of scientific (biological) and technology achievements.
The development of agriculture depends on the resolution of land ownership problems and the practiced forms of land use. Unlike other factors of production, land has a number of specific features - immobility as a factor of production, unpredictability (dependence on soil and climatic conditions), limited reserves for expanding use for agricultural purposes, productivity limits. Due to these features, the limited (inelastic) supply of land is one of the reasons for the peculiarities of land pricing. Differences in the quality of land underlie the formation of rental relations.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 78% of the earth's surface experiences serious natural limitations for the development of agriculture, 13% of areas are characterized by low productivity, 6% - average and only 3% - high. Currently, about 11% of the total land area is occupied by arable land. Approximately 24% of the planet's total land is used for livestock production. The characteristics and severity of agro-resource situations often differ sharply across countries, and within countries, across regions. Therefore there can be no universal ways solutions to the food problem and overall growth in agricultural productivity.
Progress in the development of productive forces in world agriculture in the 20-30s. XX century associated with the mechanization of work, in the 40-50s. - selection and chemicalization, in the 60-70s. - dissemination of the achievements of the green revolution, since the 80s. — a period of active development and implementation of biotechnology and computerization of agricultural production has begun.
At the same time, global agriculture beginning of XXI V. is experiencing a number of problems. This is primarily a lack of land resources and the natural limitation of land productivity growth in developed countries and low labor productivity on land associated with a lack of capital investment in developing regions.
Growth rate agricultural production at the beginning of the 21st century. on average amounted to 2-2.5% per year, which significantly exceeded the rate of population growth and made it possible to produce products 20-30% more than the volume necessary to meet the internal needs of countries for food and raw materials. On the contrary, in developing countries, the growth rate of agricultural production, especially food, coincided in value with population growth (2-3%), and per capita in some countries had a downward trend, which contributed to the continued severity of the food problem, especially in the Tropical Region. Africa.
Agriculture branches
Agriculture- the most important link in the agro-industrial complex and differs from other sectors of the economy in the seasonal nature of production, the use of land as an object and means of labor, and strong dependence on natural conditions. It consists of agriculture (crop production) and livestock farming, which are closely related to each other, which provide 56 and 44% of agricultural products, respectively.
The natural basis of agriculture is land- lands used in agriculture. In 2007, the area of agricultural land amounted to 220.6 million hectares, or 12.9% of the country's area, and according to this indicator, our country ranks third in the world after China and the United States. The sown area (arable land) is much smaller: in 2007 it amounted to 76.4 million hectares, or less than 5% of the country's territory. The level of provision of farmland to the Russian population per person at the beginning of 2007 was 1.55 hectares, including 0.54 hectares of arable land. The remaining territories are occupied by forests and shrubs, tundra, mountain ranges, i.e. lands that are inconvenient for agriculture.
Much of Russia's agricultural land is located in waterlogged or arid areas, subject to wind and water erosion, and some became contaminated with radioactive elements after the Chernobyl accident. Thus, almost 3/4 of agricultural land is either already degraded or is at a dangerous point of loss of fertility. This situation is aggravated by a sharp reduction in the supply of mineral fertilizers to agriculture. Therefore, land reclamation is increasingly important - the natural improvement of land to increase its fertility or general improvement of the area, one of the types of rational environmental management.
The total area of forage lands is more than 70 million hectares, but more than 1/2 of them are tundra reindeer pastures, characterized by low forage productivity.
A wide variety of natural landscape zones and different populations determined features of the use of agricultural land: in the steppe and forest-steppe zones with fertile gray soils and chestnut soils, arable land reaches 80% of all agricultural land; in the forest zone - significantly less; in the foothills, vast alpine meadows are combined with small areas of arable land in the valleys and along the mountain slopes.
Crop production is the leading branch of agriculture in terms of gross output - 56% in 2007.
The climatic conditions of Russia limit the range of crops that can be grown economically and permissibly on its territory. High and stable yields can be obtained only in the west of the black soil strip of the country and in the western regions of the North Caucasus.
Cereals- the leading branch of crop production in Russia. They occupy more than half of the country's cultivated area. Due to the variability of weather conditions, their collection from year to year ranged from 127 million tons in the most productive year of 1978 to 48 million tons in 1998. In the last two decades, there has been a trend towards a reduction in grain harvests. Average annual gross grain harvests in Russia were (in million tons): 1950s. - 59; 1960s - 84; 1970s - 101; 1980s - 98; 1990s - 76. Nevertheless, in 2007, in terms of grain harvest - 82 million tons - Russia took fourth place in the world after China, the USA and India.
The average grain yield in Russia is very low - about 20 centners per 1 hectare compared to 60-70 centners in Western European countries, which is explained by the difference in agroclimatic conditions and the low culture of domestic agriculture. More than 9/10 of the total harvest comes from four crops: wheat (more than half), barley (about a quarter), oats and rye.
Wheat
Wheat- the most important grain crop in Russia. It is sown mainly in the forest-steppe and less arid parts of the steppe zone, and the density of crops decreases in the eastern direction. In Russia, two types of wheat are sown - spring and winter. Considering that the yield of winter wheat is twice as high as that of spring wheat, winter wheat is cultivated wherever agroclimatic conditions allow. Therefore, in the western part of the country up to the Volga ( North Caucasus, Central Black Earth Region, right bank of the Volga region) winter wheat crops predominate, in the eastern (left bank of the Volga region, Southern Urals, south Western Siberia and Far East) - spring.
Barley
Barley- the second largest grain crop in Russia by production volume, it is used primarily for the production of concentrated feed for livestock. This is one of the earliest ripening crops that tolerates frost and drought well, so the cultivation area of barley is extensive: it penetrates further than other grain crops to the north, south and southeast.
Oats
Oats- Primarily a forage crop and widely used in the feed industry. Distributed in the forest zone in areas with a milder climate, it is also sown in Siberia and the Far East.
Rye
Rye is an important food crop, relatively undemanding to agroclimatic conditions, it needs less heat than winter wheat, and, like oats, it tolerates acidic soils well. Its main habitat is the Russian Non-Black Earth Region.
All other grain crops, including rice and corn, are not widely used in domestic crop production due to harsh climatic conditions. Corn crops for grain are concentrated in the North Caucasus - the only region of Russia that natural conditions resembles the famous “corn belt” of the USA; in other parts of the country it is cultivated for green fodder and silage. Rice crops are located in the floodplains of the Kuban River, the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Khanka lowland.
Industrial crops are valuable raw materials for production food products(Sahara, vegetable oils) and many light industrial products. They are very demanding on agroclimatic conditions, labor- and material-intensive, and are located in narrowed areas. The most famous fiber crop in Russia is fiber flax. Its main crops are concentrated in the north-west of the European part of the country. The main oilseed crop, sunflower, is grown in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the country (Central Black Earth region, North Caucasus). The main crops of technical varieties of sugar beet are concentrated in the Central Black Earth Region and the Krasnodar Territory.
Potatoes are an important food and feed crop. Crops of this crop are widespread everywhere, but the overwhelming majority are concentrated in Central Russia, as well as near cities, where vegetable growing is also developing. Gardening and viticulture as a large branch of crop production are typical for the southern regions of Russia.
Livestock- important component agriculture, which accounts for less than half of the industry's gross output. Despite the serious drop in production during the years of the economic crisis, today Russia is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of the scale of livestock production.
The industry reached its maximum level of development in 1987, after which both the number of livestock and the volume of production began to decline. The main cost of livestock products is meat. The structure of its production is dominated by beef and veal - 39%, followed by pork - 34%, poultry - 24%, lamb and goat meat - 3%. In 2007, the number of large cattle, sheep and goats were inferior to 1940.
Livestock in Russia at the beginning of the year* (millions of heads)| Year | Cattle | Including cows | Pigs | Sheep and goats |
| 1940 | 28,3 | 14,3 | 12,2 | 46,0 |
| 1950 | 31,5 | 13,7 | 10,7 | 45,7 |
| 1960 | 37,6 | 17,6 | 27,1 | 67,5 |
| 1970 | 49,4 | 20,4 | 27,4 | 63,4 |
| 1980 | 58,6 | 22,2 | 36,4 | 66,9 |
| 1987 | 60,5 | 21,3 | 40,2 | 64,1 |
| 2000 | 27,5 | 12,9 | 18,3 | 14,0 |
| 2007 | 21,5 | 9,4 | 16,1 | 21,0 |
The development, placement and specialization of livestock farming are determined by the availability of food supply, which depends on the degree of plowing of the land, the composition fodder crops, size of pasture resources. In the feed base modern Russia a paradoxical situation has arisen: by procuring more feed in terms of calories per unit of livestock products than the developed countries, Russia constantly experiences an acute shortage of them, which is due to the low safety of feed, its ineffective structure (small share of concentrated feed), frequent interruptions in the supply of livestock farms with feed, and almost complete ignorance of scientifically based proposals for the system of feeding and keeping livestock.
The distribution of livestock production is influenced by two main factors: orientation towards the food supply and attraction to the consumer. With the development of urbanization processes and progress in transport, the importance of the second factor in the distribution of livestock production is rapidly increasing. In suburban areas of large cities and highly urbanized areas, dairy farming, pig farming and poultry farming are developing, i.e., the azonality of livestock farming is increasing. However, until now, the focus on the food supply (zonal factor) is decisive in the distribution of livestock farming.
The largest branch of livestock farming is cattle breeding (cattle breeding), the main products of which are milk and meat. Based on their relationship, three main areas of cattle breeding are distinguished:- a) dairy production relies on succulent feed and is located in the center of the European part of the country and around cities;
- b) dairy and meat uses natural feed and silage and is located everywhere;
- c) meat, dairy and meat rely on roughage and concentrated feed and are represented in the steppes and semi-deserts of the North Caucasus, the Urals, the Volga region, and Siberia.
Pig farming is a fast-growing industry and produces 1/3 of the meat. It uses root crops (potatoes, sugar beets), concentrated feed and food waste as feed. It is located in agriculturally developed areas and near large cities.
Sheep farming provides raw materials for the textile industry and is mainly developed in semi-deserts and mountainous regions. Fine-fleece sheep breeding is represented in the southern steppes of the European part and in the south of Siberia, while semi-fine-fleece sheep breeding predominates in the European territory of the country and the Far East.
Poultry farming is highly productive and is most developed in the main grain-growing regions and near large cities. Reindeer husbandry is the main branch of agriculture in the Far North. In some areas, horse breeding (North Caucasus, southern Urals), goat breeding (dry steppes of the Urals), yak breeding (Altai, Buryatia, Tuva) are of commercial importance.
Food industry- the final sphere of the agro-industrial complex. It includes a set of industries producing food-flavoring products, as well as tobacco products, perfumes and cosmetics. The food industry is distinguished by its ubiquitous location, although the set of its industries in each region is determined by the structure of agriculture, and the volume of production is determined by the population of the given territory and transportation conditions finished products.
The food industry is closely related to agriculture and unites more than 20 industries using different raw materials. Some industries use unprocessed raw materials (sugar, tea, butter, oil and fat), others use processed raw materials (baking, confectionery, pasta), and others are a combination of the first two (meat, dairy).
Food industry location depends on the availability of raw materials and the consumer. Based on the degree of their influence, the following groups of industries can be distinguished.
The first group gravitates towards areas where raw materials are produced, since the costs of raw materials per unit of production are high here, and transportation is associated with large losses and deterioration in quality. These include sugar, canned fruits and vegetables, oil and fat, tea, butter, and salt.
The sugar industry does not fully meet the needs of the Russian population for its products. A significant part of the granulated sugar consumed in Russia is imported from abroad. Our country also imports raw sugar. The greatest concentration of domestic sugar factories is in the Central Black Earth region and the North Caucasus.
A special place in this group is occupied by the fishing industry, which includes the extraction of raw materials (fish, sea animals) and their processing. The catch is dominated by cod, herring, horse mackerel, and a significant proportion of salmon and sturgeon. Most produces products from the Russian fishing industry Far East(Primorsky Territory, Sakhalin and Kamchatka regions). Other major producers in this industry include the Murmansk, Kaliningrad and Astrakhan regions.
The second group of industries is associated with places of consumption of finished products and produces perishable goods. These are the baking, confectionery, whole milk (production of milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir) industries, which are concentrated primarily in highly urbanized areas.
The third group consists of industries with a simultaneous focus on raw materials and the consumer. Meat, flour-grinding, and dairy are characterized by this duality of placement.
Currently, the food industry is one of the most dynamic sectors of the country; it is distinguished by its investment attractiveness, which allows the creation of a wide network of small-capacity processing plants equipped with modern equipment.
At all times importance of agriculture it was great for people. After all, we can say that the economy began with the cultivation of fruits and their exchange for other goods, such as meat.
As a result, without agriculture, humanity itself would not have developed as a whole. By itself Agriculture- This complex mechanism, consisting of many elements, such as crop production, livestock farming, land reclamation, forestry, agronomy, etc.
And it is also subject to the influence of almost all possible factors:
Political,
Economic,
Social,
Natural.
But if political, economic and social can still be regulated. Natural factors cannot be controlled, although now, with the help of many scientific developments and technical innovations, their influence can be reduced.
Recently, many believe that agricultural production has ceased to be so important and significant, but it is the main component of the agro-industrial complex, which in turn is one of the main profit items in the state budget.
The role of agriculture in the country’s economy speaks volumes about its level of development:
So, developing countries are still following the extensive path of development, that is, increasing profits by increasing acreage, livestock and attracting more workers.
Whereas developed Countries that already half a century ago switched to an intensive path of development: they use new technologies and modern equipment, use mineral fertilizers and the achievements of biotechnology.
Agricultural production is the main component of the state's agro-industrial complex.
Its significant difference from most sectors of the economy is that in comparison with them it is less efficient. The capital invested in it brings less profit.
Therefore, low-income agriculture is not able to participate on an equal footing (compared to industry) in intersectoral competition without external support.
Agriculture is different conservatism And inelasticity, inadequacy responding to market conditions and requirements.
Thus, with an increase in demand for agricultural products, agricultural production with its peculiarities excludes the possibility of a quick response and an increase in production output.
There are a number of restrictions on increasing the growth rate of agricultural production. It is impossible to significantly increase the area of cultivated land, even with increased investment. This is due to the natural limitation of agricultural land.
The increase in the number of livestock, especially breeding stock, is associated with a rather long period of time for raising it for many animal species. So, it takes about three years to raise a dairy herd for milk production.
It takes more than five years to create a fruit-bearing garden, and at least three years to create vineyards.
The scale of solving the problem of ensuring food security affects all areas of the agro-industrial complex and the interests of the population as a whole.
Agriculture- one of the most important sectors of the Russian national economy. It produces food for the country's population, raw materials for the processing industry and provides other needs of society.
The living standards and well-being of the population largely depend on the development of agriculture:
Size and power structure,
Average per capita income
Consumption of goods and services,
Social living conditions.
Agriculture is one of the main suppliers of raw materials for industry. More than 50% of agricultural products produced are used as raw materials: they supply raw materials for light, food, feed and other industries.
In turn, agriculture is a large consumer of industrial goods: tractors, machinery, equipment, fuel, feed, mineral fertilizers and other industrial products.
Consequently, the development of some industries largely depends on agriculture, while at the same time, the successful functioning of agricultural producers is determined by the level of industrial development.
Agriculture- This is not only a sector of the economy, but also people working and living in rural areas. Here the moral foundations of the people, their national psychology, and historical memory are formed.
So, let us highlight the main features of agriculture that distinguish it from other sectors of the country’s national economy.
Features of agriculture as an industry:
As the main thing, an indispensable tool production uses land. Unlike other means of production, soil, when used correctly and carefully, does not wear out, but retains its qualities.
Specific means of production in agriculture are living organisms - plants and animals, which develop on the basis of biological laws. The economic process of reproduction is intertwined with the natural.
The results of agricultural production depend on soil and climatic conditions. For example: in the Black Earth Region, grain yields will be higher than in the Urals. Therefore, these conditions greatly influence the specialization and location of agriculture, since some crops can only ripen in certain natural and climatic conditions.
In agriculture, the working period does not coincide with the production period. This is due to the seasonality of work.
For example: growing winter grain crops. The period of their production begins in July-August, from the moment of preparation and sowing, and ends in July of the following year with harvesting. During this time, the working period is interrupted and resumed several times: field preparation, sowing, plant care, harvesting, etc., and the production period, which is determined mainly by the natural conditions of plant growth and development, continues continuously. Seasonality has a significant impact on the organization of production, the use of equipment and labor resources.
One of the important features of agriculture is that the products created here take part in the further production process.
Seeds and planting material (grain, potatoes, etc.), feed, as well as young livestock are used as means of production. All this requires additional material resources for the construction of premises and production facilities (barnyards, warehouses for storing seeds, planting material, feed.)
In agriculture, as a rule, production tools (tractors, cars, combines) are moved, and not objects of labor (plants).
In industry, objects of labor (raw materials) are usually moved, but equipment and machines are fixed.
In agricultural production, technology is so specific that it is used only in the production of certain types of products and is not suitable for others. For each type of product there is a set of machines. Therefore, the overall demand for technology is much higher than in industrial sectors.
The division of labor, and therefore the specialization of production and agriculture, manifests itself differently than in industry and other sectors of the national economy.
Most agricultural enterprises produce several types of marketable products. Plant and animal products are produced in the same farm, since crop farming provides animal feed, and livestock farming provides manure, which is used for fertilizer, and also allows for the rational use of land resources that are unsuitable for cultivating field crops.
In agriculture, the organization of labor processes in the crop and livestock industries is structured differently.
Here the worker does not have a permanent job, as, for example, in industry. Depending on the time of year and the specifics of crop cultivation, field workers and machine operators perform different types of work:
Work on different types of machines and units,
Preparing seeds for sowing,
Plant care,
Feed preparation,
Harvest.
At the same time, the type of work can change not only daily, but also depending on conditions and within one working day.
The presence of a large number of agricultural producers creates conditions for high competition in the food market. This makes it impossible for an individual producer to influence the market price, that is, there are no conditions for creating monopolies.
The noted features of agriculture in comparison with industrial sectors require comprehensive analysis and consideration when forming the material and technical base of the industry, organizing and managing production, and determining the economic efficiency of using production resources.
Agriculture is an integral and important sector of the country's entire economy, as well as the main source of food. Its income accounts for more than 12% of the gross social product and at least 15% of the country's total national income.
Every country needs products that it can provide for itself. The supply of food products, as well as raw materials for production, to the market directly depends on agricultural productivity.
As reported by UNN, the economic system of the state is responsible for the production of products, their distribution, and consumption. This industry is directly related to the life of the subject and object of the country, which are people.
The agro-industrial complex of Russia and beyond is based on agricultural production. Its main difference from other industries is that it is less efficient. After all, the agricultural industry cannot fully compete, for example, with heavy industry.
The main characteristics of the rural industry include inelasticity, conservatism, and inadequacy of response to market requirements. After all, with an increase in demand for agricultural products, it will not be possible to increase the output of existing products and quickly solve the current situation.
The entire territory of this industry strictly corresponds to the limited agricultural land. The general growth of livestock is possible only after some years, which is due to the temporary period of cultivation. That is why it will take three years to produce the required amount of milk. Only during this time will the milking herd be able to grow.
A fruit-bearing garden can be created in only five years, but a vineyard will require three years. The activities and results of the agricultural industry directly affect the interests of the population and the country as a whole.
Agricultural policy is a component of the general economic policy of the entire country. In addition to the concept of agricultural policy, it is also common to use such concepts as food, agricultural and agro-industrial policy.
Agricultural policy is divided into two components: agricultural (the emphasis is on the producer) and food (the emphasis is on the consumer). State in in this case acts as an intermediary between the taxpayer and rural producers of goods. Agriculture directly responds to the primary needs of every person.
It should also be noted that the country’s problems are strictly regionally differentiated. That is why the food issue is resolved depending on the capabilities of a particular region.
Features of agricultural production are as follows.
1. Unlike industry, where land acts as a place on which industrial enterprises are located, in agriculture land is the main, irreplaceable and eternal means of production. Land is the only means of production that is not subject to the destructive effects of time. “... time spares nothing and deteriorates all means of production (with the exception of land) …”. At correct use the land does not wear out, but rather improves.
2. B agriculture economic processes reproduction is constantly intertwined with natural, natural processes of reproduction. Animals and plants act as means of production.
3. Peculiarity agriculture also lies in the fact that in industry, objects of labor are moved, but tools of labor - machines, engines - remain in the place where they are fixed. In agriculture (farming) it’s the other way around: machines move, but objects of labor—plants—are in one place.
4. Agricultural production dispersed (located) throughout the country over vast areas, in various natural and climatic conditions, which cannot but have a serious impact on final results production, especially the cost of agricultural products produced.
5. In agriculture, the working period does not coincide with the production period and consists of two parts (periods): the first, when the production process is carried out under the influence of man, the second, when it takes place under the influence of natural factors. The discrepancy between the working period and the production period creates a seasonal nature production processes in crop production (to a greater extent) and livestock production, which have bad influence on the organization and state of the economy. For example, the production period for winter crops can last from 250 to 300 days, but the working period is only 6–10 days.
This leads to a completely different (depending on the industry) order of formation working capital and reproduction of the labor force.
Due to the fact that the technological process of production and sale of agricultural products takes a very long period (several months), the excess working capital (capital) does not work and does not create profit. He is simply idle.
As a result, the role and importance of bank loan. But since a bank loan is issued at a high interest rate and, as a rule, for a short period of use, in this case the role of the state increases, which must take an active part in regulating bank rates for agricultural enterprises.
6. An equally significant feature of agriculture is reproduction of labor force. And in this regard, an important role should be given to the creation of normal social and living conditions for rural workers. The fact is that the conditions of production in agriculture are incomparably different from the conditions of production in industry, and social and living conditions for the most part do not lend themselves to normal perception. Moreover, in many agricultural enterprises, conditions that fall under the category of social and domestic purposes have not been created for the population. As for the issues of improvement in apartments, in most cases the villagers do not have it.
7. The created products in agriculture are partially used in the further reproduction process as seeds (grain, potatoes, other products), as well as for livestock feed. In addition, the number of animals is used to restore and expand the herd. In this regard, not all products produced in agriculture, goes into monetary form and can be traded, although for the purposes accounting, taxation, adoption management decisions this must be done.
8. The agricultural (agricultural) industry is not separated into completely independent sectors, but only specializes in various cases in production various types products for which there is demand in market conditions.
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