Agriculture (s / x) is a branch of the national economy aimed at providing the population with 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 1.1 billion economically active population (EAP).
Agriculture - cultivation of the land (to obtain / increase yields) and growing domestic animals. Agricultural crops are needed for food, animal feeding and fiber (cotton and isisal). Animals are raised for wool, milk, meat or organic waste (as fuel). Agriculture ranges from small subsidiary plots and farms to large agricultural artels and collective farms.
Short description
Agriculture originated in Central Asia and Egypt at least 10 thousand years ago. Agricultural communities became the backbone social order in China, India, Europe, Mexico and Peru, and then spread around the world. The restructuring of agriculture on a scientific basis took place in Europe in the 18th century in response to a significant increase in population. Mechanization created the preconditions for significant progress in agriculture in Europe and the United States in the 19th century. After World War II, there was a "boom" in the use of chemicals. However, there was opposition in society to the use of certain types of drugs, as they polluted and destroyed the environment. This has stimulated the development of alternative methods such as agriculture without the use of chemicals.
The emergence and development of agriculture
The emergence of agriculture is associated with the Neolithic Revolution, which is the transition from the economy of the Golden Age to one that leads agriculture. This led to the creation of cultivated plants and the domestication (domestication) of animals (cows). MI Vavilov identified 8 centers of origin of cultivated plants, and his students and followers 4 Centers for domestication of animals. Plants and animals that appeared in these centers then spread to most of the earth's land.
The role of agriculture in the economy
Plowing with a tractor (Sweden)
Arable land cultivation with livestock (Indonesia)
The role of agriculture in the economy of a country or region shows its structure and level of development. The share of the economically active population employed in agriculture is used as an indicator of the role of agriculture in the economy, as well as specific gravity agriculture in the structure of GDP. These indicators are quite high in most developing countries where more than half of the EAN (economically active population) is employed in agriculture. Agriculture in such countries goes along extensive way development, that is, an increase in production is achieved by expanding cultivated areas, increasing the number of cattle, increasing the number of employed people in agriculture. In such countries, whose economies are of the agricultural type, the rates of mechanization, chemicalization, land reclamation, etc. are low.
The highest level was reached by the agriculture of the developed countries of Europe and North America, which entered the post-industrial stage. Only 2-6% of EAN are employed in agriculture there. In these countries, the "green revolution" took place in the middle of the twentieth century, the agriculture of this group of countries is characterized by a scientifically 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, there is developing by intensive path.
Similar progressive changes are taking place in countries belonging to the industrial type, but the level of intensification in them is still much lower, and the share of those employed in agriculture is higher than in post-industrial ones.
At the same time, in developed countries there is a crisis of overproduction of food, and in agrarian countries, on the contrary, one of the most acute problems is the food problem (the problem of malnutrition and hunger).
Sectoral and regional features of agriculture
As a branch of the economy, agriculture has the following main features:
- The economic process of reproduction is intertwined with the natural process of growth and development of living organisms, developing on the basis of biological laws.
- The cyclical process of natural growth and development of plants and animals determined the seasonality of agricultural labor.
- Unlike industry technological process in agriculture, it is closely connected with nature, where land acts as the main means of production.
Experts note that 78% the earth's surface have serious natural disadvantages for the development of agriculture, 13% of the areas are characterized by low productivity, 6% average and only 3% high.
Currently, about 11% of all land is cultivated, another 24% is used for pastures. The peculiarities of the agro-resource situation and the specialization of agriculture differ significantly by region. There are several thermal zones, each of which is characterized by a peculiar set of crop and livestock industries:
Farmers cultivate a rice field in Andhra Pradesh, India.
- cold belt occupies vast areas in the north of Eurasia and North America. The development of agriculture here is limited by insufficient heat and permafrost. Crop production here is only possible under greenhouse conditions. Reindeer husbandry is mainly developed on these unproductive pastures.
- cool belt covers vast territories of Eurasia and North America, as well as a narrow strip in the south of the And in South America. Insignificant heat resources impose serious restrictions on the range of crops that can be grown here (early ripening crops - gray bread, vegetables, some root crops, early potatoes). Farming is of a focal nature.
- temperate zone in the southern hemisphere is represented in Patagonia, on the coast of Chile, Tasmania and New Zealand, and in the north it occupies almost all of Europe (except for the southern peninsulas), the south of Siberia and the Far East, Mongolia, Tibet, northeastern China, southern Canada, and the northeastern states of the United States. This is the belt of mass farming. Almost all terrain suitable for the relief are occupied by arable land; its specific area reaches 60-70%. A wide range of crops is possible here: wheat, barley, rye, oats, flax, potatoes, vegetables, root crops, forage grasses. The southern part of the belt is dominated by corn, sunflowers, rice, grapes, fruit and fruit trees. The area of pastures is limited, they dominate in the mountains and arid zones, where distant pastures and camel breeding are developed.
- warm belt corresponds to the subtropical geographical belt, it covers all continents, except Antarctica, in particular: the Mediterranean, most of the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, southern Africa and Australia, southern China. Here they grow two crops a year: in winter - crops of the temperate zone (cereals, vegetables), in summer - tropical annuals (cotton) or perennials ( olive Tree, citrus fruits, tea, walnuts, figs, etc.) .. Low-productive pastures degrading from uncontrolled grazing dominate here.
- hot belt occupies vast areas of Africa, South America, northern and central Australia, the Malay Archipelago, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia... Grown a coffee tree, date palm, sweet potato, cassava like that. In the sub-arid zones, there are vast pastures with poor vegetation.
Agriculture structure
Agriculture is part of the agro-industrial complex and includes the following main sectors:
- Plant growing. The industry is subdivided into sub-branches according to the type of plants grown:
- cereals etc.)
- legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.);
- forage crops (annual and perennial herbs, silage crops, fodder roots, fodder melons and gourds);
- industrial crops: a) food crops (sugar cane, sugar beets, starch crops, medicinal plants), b) textile crops (cotton, flax, jute, hemp), c) rubber plants (hevea);
- vegetables and melons: a) potatoes, b) leafy crops (cabbage, lettuce, spinach, dill, parsley, etc.). c) fruit crops (tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, squash, eggplant, pepper) d) bulb crops (onion and garlic); e) root crops (carrots, etc.) f) melons (watermelon, melon, pumpkin, etc.)
- citrus fruits etc.)
- tonic cultures (narcotic cultures, tea, coffee, cocoa);
- oil and essential oil crops: a) oil crops (sunflower, castor oil plant, mustard, rapeseed, sesame, red (plant), hemp, flax, coconut palm, oil palm, olive tree), b) essential oil crops (coriander, anise, cumin and others ..)
- viticulture;
- gardening;
- mushroom growing.
- Livestock
- cattle breeding (raising cattle);
- sheep breeding;
- goat breeding;
- horse breeding;
- beekeeping;
- jamming;
- fur farming;
- mariculture
- reindeer husbandry;
- poultry farming;
- camelism;
- sericulture;
- pig breeding;
- fish farming;
- rabbit breeding;
- Fishing.
Environmental problems of agriculture
Elevator in the USA
Agriculture has a greater impact on the natural environment than any other branch of the national economy, because agriculture requires huge areas. As a result, the landscapes of entire continents are changing, for example, the agrolandshtaft completely changed the Great China Plain, where a subtropical forest once grew, moving in the north to the Ussuriysk taiga, and in the south to the jungles of Indochina. In Europe, the agricultural landscape has supplanted deciduous forests; in Ukraine, arable land has replaced the steppes.
Agricultural landscapes proved to be unsustainable, leading to a number of local and regional environmental disasters... For example, improper reclamation caused salinization of soils and the loss of most of the cultivated land of Mesopotamia, the general plowing caused dust storms in Kazakhstan and the United States, cattle grazing and agriculture led to desertification in the Sahel zone in Africa.
Agriculture has the greatest impact on the natural environment. The factors of its influence are as follows:
- reduction of natural vegetation to farmland;
- tillage (pubescence) of the soil, especially with the use of a moldboard plow;
- the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides;
- land reclamation.
And a great effect on soils leads to:
- destruction of soil ecosystems;
- loss of humus;
- destruction of the structure and soil compaction;
- water and wind erosion of soil;
There are certain methods and technologies of farming that mitigate or completely eliminate negative factors, for example, the technology of sustainable farming.
Livestock has less impact on nature. Its influence is as follows:
- overgrazing - that is, grazing livestock on pastures in quantities that exceed the system's ability to recover;
- unprocessed waste of livestock complexes.
Common violations caused by agricultural activities include:
- pollution surface waters(rivers, lakes, seas) and degradation of aquatic ecosystems during eutrophication;
- pollution groundwater;
- clearing of forests and degradation of forest ecosystems (deforestation);
- violation of the water regime in large areas (during drainage or irrigation);
- desertification as a result of complex disturbance of the structure of soil and vegetation cover;
- destruction of natural habitats of many species of living organisms and, as a result, extinction and extinction of rare species.
In the second half of the twentieth century, another problem became relevant: a decrease in the content of vitamins and microelements in crop production and the accumulation of both crop and livestock products in products, harmful substances(nitrates, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc.). The reason for this is soil degradation, which leads to a decrease in the level of trace elements and an intensification of production, especially in animal husbandry.
Agriculture is the main source of food and agricultural raw materials in the world. It is designed to meet 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, are an important part of the functioning of the world system and have a special place in the world economy and politics. Food is directly related to people's livelihoods, its scarcity is perceived as a disaster. The food market determines the state of the economy and the social stability of society, therefore its development is controlled in all countries.
Agriculture- this is not only the oldest, but also a fairly widespread occupation of people. Currently, world agriculture employs over 1 billion economically active population. World agriculture accounts for about 5% of the world product.
As a sector, agriculture has certain specific features:
- characterized by social heterogeneity and variety of forms of ownership
- use of land as the main means of production. In agriculture, the land serves not only as the basis for the location of the economy, but is used as a direct resource, the fertility of the land is important
- agricultural production is highly dependent on natural conditions. Even in developed countries, the results of agricultural production are unpredictable. Droughts, floods, pests, diseases make the agricultural sector a rather risky industry
- seasonality of agricultural production. For this reason, a significant part of agricultural machinery and work force long time inactive and under maximum stress for short periods
- the spatial dispersion of agricultural production, i.e. production is carried out over large areas, which increases transport costs
- living organisms (plants and animals) are used as means of production, which makes it necessary to take into account the biological laws of development. Hence, the production is stretched over time.
One of the most important patterns in the development of the agrarian sector is the strengthening of the integration of agriculture with the service industries, as a result of which the agro-industrial complex (AIC) is being formed.
As you know, the agro-industrial complex includes 4 areas:
- branches serving agriculture that supply capital goods. Their main function is to maintain the techno-economic efficiency of agricultural production. These are the branches of agricultural engineering, chemical, feed industry, etc.
- branches of agriculture - plant growing and animal husbandry. They are directly involved in the production of agricultural products.
- branches for processing, storage, transportation and marketing of agricultural products. This is the food industry, container and storage facilities, transport, wholesale and retail trade. The main task is to bring products to the consumer
- infrastructure of the agro-industrial complex - a set of various industries, institutions, organizations that ensure the normal, uninterrupted functioning of all links of the agro-industrial complex. These are various road organizations, credit system, banking network, intermediary, investment companies, etc.
There is no need to speak about the exclusive role of agriculture. Even the ancient Greek scientist Xenophon said that:
“… Agriculture is the mother and breadwinner of all other crafts. When agriculture is well managed, all other crafts flourish, but when agriculture is overlooked, all other crafts decline. "
These words have not lost their relevance today.
The development of agriculture in the world is conditioned by a number of reasons that determine the exceptional role of agricultural production in the world. These functions of the global agricultural sector include the following:
- the need to provide food for the extremely rapidly growing population of the planet, especially in developing countries
- the need to strengthen the raw material base of the industry. Industrialization that does not rely on a corresponding expansion of the agrarian basis, with the weakness and instability of the latter, also becomes fragile
- agriculture acts as a supplier of labor and capital for other sectors of the world economy
- agriculture serves as a source of currency, and for most developing countries, the main one. Such countries are only supported by the export of agricultural products. For example, in Guatemala - bananas and coffee, in Chad - cotton, etc.
The richness of the functions performed by global agriculture places many demands on the industry. And these are not only economic problems, but also the problems of using natural resources, the need to maintain ecological balance in the environment. It is possible to fully assess the importance of agriculture in the world economy only by tracing the basic laws of the long-term development of the industry.
Sectors of agriculture: livestock and crop production
There are two main branches of agriculture: livestock and crop production.
Livestock Is a branch of agriculture that breeds farm animals for the production of livestock products.
The main branches of animal husbandry:
- Cattle breeding - breeding of cattle (cattle).
- Pig breeding.
- Goat breeding and sheep breeding. These directions are most widespread in the steppe zones, as well as in mountainous regions.
- Horse breeding - provides the national economy with thoroughbred breeding animals, sporting and productive.
- Camel breeding - provides the national economy in desert and semi-desert regions with wool and milk.
- Reindeer husbandry.
- Poultry keeping.
- Fur farming - provides the national economy with skins of small fur-bearing animals.
- Beekeeping is a branch of agriculture that is engaged in breeding honey bees for obtaining honey, beeswax and other products, as well as for pollination of agricultural crops in order to increase their productivity.
Plant growing Is a branch of agriculture engaged in the cultivation of cultivated plants. Crop products are used as a source of food for the population, as feed in animal husbandry, as a raw material in many industries (especially in the food, textile, pharmaceutical and perfume industries), as well as for decorative (in floriculture) and many other purposes.
Agriculture is a branch of the country's economy that not only produces the most necessary products for a person, but is also a kind of catalyst indicating economic development the state. A high share of the agricultural sector in a country's GDP, as a rule, is characteristic of developing and industrially backward countries. The share of agriculture in the GDP of Liberia is 76.9%, in Ethiopia - 44.9%, in Guinea-Bissau - 62%.
In economically developed countries, the share of the agricultural industry in GDP is several percent. But this does not mean that these countries are experiencing food problems. Quite the opposite, modern technologies used in agriculture by developed countries, allow you to get excellent results with a relatively small investment.
In the Russian Federation, agriculture accounts for just over 4% of the gross value added. At the end of 2014, the volume of agricultural production amounted to 4,225.6 billion rubles. Today, more than 4.54 million people work in the country's agricultural sector, which is 6.7% of all Russian workers.
2014 was one of the most successful years for Russian farmers. recent history... Was received record harvest vegetables - 15.5 million tons. In addition, for the second time, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was possible to harvest more than 100 million tons of grain crops. Last year, this figure was 105.3 million tons, which is almost 14% more than in 2013 and 9% more than the target indicator of the State Program for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food Markets for 2013-2020. ".
The structure of Russian agriculture includes two main segments: crop production and animal husbandry. Moreover, their share in the money turnover is almost the same - crop products account for 51%, livestock products - 49%. In addition, there are three main categories of farms:
- Agricultural organizations;
- Households of the population;
- Farms.
The main share of production falls on agricultural organizations and households of the population, but recently there has been a rapid growth of farms. Compared to 2000, the turnover of farms in the Russian Federation has increased almost 20 times. And in 2014 it amounted to 422.7 billion rubles.
In the field of crop production, agricultural organizations and households of the population have equal indicators of money turnover, but in animal husbandry, agricultural organizations have an advantage, which is achieved by reducing the share of farms.
Enterprises of the agrarian industry, at the end of 2014, had good financial indicators... Out of 4,800 enterprises in the agricultural sector, 3,800 organizations ended the reporting year with a profit. In percentage terms, this was 80.7%. The total profit received amounted to 249.7 billion rubles. This amount is almost double the 2013 figure.
If we evaluate the activities of enterprises in the agricultural sector using the sustainability coefficients, then the picture here is close to ideal. So the current liquidity ratio, which is the ratio of the actual value of current assets available to organizations to the most urgent liabilities of organizations, on average in the industry is 180.1 with an ideal value of 200. The autonomy ratio, which indicates the share of equity in the total value sources of funds of the organization is 44.2% with an ideal value of 50%.
Plant growing
Today, the Russian Federation contains about 10% of all arable land in the world. The total sown area of fields in Russia is 78,525 thousand hectares. At the same time, in relation to 1992, the total area of arable land in Russia decreased by 32%.
70.4% of all arable land is owned by agricultural organizations. In numerical terms, this is 55,285 thousand hectares. The share of private farms is 19,727 thousand hectares, which is 25.1% of the total. National farms own only 3,513 thousand hectares, which is 4.5% in percentage terms.
All agricultural crops grown in Russia are divided into the following categories:
- Cereals and legumes (wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, millet, buckwheat, rice, sorghum, triticale);
- Industrial crops (fiber flax, sugar beet);
- Oilseeds (sunflower, soybeans, mustard, rapeseed);
- Vegetables (cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, onions, garlic, zucchini, eggplants, etc.);
- Potato
- Forage crops (forage root crops, corn for forage, annual and perennial grasses)
The largest sown areas in 2014 were allocated for grain and leguminous crops. In percentage terms, the sowing area of these crops was 58.8%. Forage crops are in second place in terms of area under crops - 21.8%, and oilseeds close the top three, their share in the total amount was 14.2%.
If we consider the statistics by categories of farms, then the trend remains only for agricultural organizations and farms. The share of sown cereals and leguminous crops was 58.18% and 66%, respectively. In the national economy, cereals accounted for only 16.6% of the sown area. And the leader in sowing was the potato, it accounted for more than 71% of all arable land of the national economy.
The main areas of plant growing in Russia are the Volga region, the North Caucasus, the Urals and Western Siberia. About 4/5 of the country's arable land is located here. If we consider the percentage of enterprises employed in the field of crop production to the total agricultural enterprises, then by federal districts there will be the following data:
- Southern Federal District - 67.1%
- Far Eastern Federal District - 61.9%
- North Caucasian Federal District - 53.2%
- Central Federal District - 50.7%
- Volga Federal District - 48.3%
- Crimean Federal District - 45.9%
- Siberian Federal District - 42.7%
- Ural Federal District - 41.5%
- Northwestern Federal District - 37.4%
Among the regions, the largest percentage of plant growing enterprises to the total number is in the Jewish Autonomous Region - 80.2%, but the main regions for growing agricultural crops have an average ratio of 70%.
- Krasnodar region - 71.9%
- Amur region - 71.7%
- Primorsky Territory - 71.5%
- Stavropol Territory - 69%
- Volgograd region - 68.6%
- Rostov region - 68.4%
The cultivation of grain and leguminous crops takes a leading role not only in the crop production of the Russian Federation, but also in the entire agro-industrial complex of the country. Wheat and meslin (a mixture of wheat and rye in proportions of 2 to 1) are the main agricultural commodities exported by Russia. In addition, grain crops such as wheat, rye, barley, corn, rice are exchange commodities and are traded on commodity exchanges.
At the end of 2014, grain and leguminous crops were sown at total area 46 220 thousand hectares. The total harvest amounted to 105,315 thousand tons. The average yield per hectare was 24.1 centners.
The most important grain crop is wheat. About 700 million tons of wheat are consumed in the world annually. Most wheat is consumed by the EU countries - about 120 million tons, China is in second place - about 100 million tons, and India is on the third - about 75 million tons.
Russia is one of the five leaders in wheat production in the world. In 2014, 59,711 thousand tons of this cereal were grown in Russia. This is the third largest in the world after China and India. The average wheat yield in 2014 was 25 centners per hectare. This is the highest figure in the entire recent history. Even in 2008, when a record harvest was collected, the yield per hectare was 24.5 centners.
The second most important cereal for the Russian Federation is barley. It is used in large quantities in the brewing industry and in the production of pearl barley and barley. More than 70% of barley is used for fodder purposes.
In 2014, 20 444 thousand tons of barley were grown in the Russian Federation, the average yield per hectare was 22.7 centners.
Corn is the most consumed cereal in the world. V last years the world uses about 950 million tons of corn. The main producer is the United States of America, which accounts for about 1/3 of the world's corn. There are 6 species of this plant in total, but only one is cultivated - sweet corn.
At the end of 2014, 11,332 thousand tons of corn for grain and 21,600 thousand tons for fodder purposes were collected in Russia. The yield of this cereal was 43.6 centners per hectare.
Rice is the most fertile grain. Its average yield is about 60 centners per hectare. For a year, the world consumes about 480 million tons of rice, and the main consumers are the countries of Southeast Asia. China is in the lead, the Chinese consume about 220 million tons of rice per year, in second place, with a significant margin, India - about 140 million tons, and Indonesia - on the third - about 70 million tons.
In 2014, rice yields were below the world average, but for Russia the figure of 53.6 centners per hectare is one of the best in the entire post-Soviet history. In total, 1,049 thousand tons of rice were harvested last year.
At the end of the 2014 agricultural year, other cereals had the following indicators:
- Rye - 3,281 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 17.7 centners per hectare;
- Oats - 5,274 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 17.1 centners per hectare;
- Millet - 493 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 12.3 centners per hectare;
- Buckwheat - 662 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 9.3 centners per hectare;
- Sorghum - 220 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 12.4 centners per hectare;
- Triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye) - 654 thousand tons were harvested with a yield of 26.4 centners per hectare.
The leaders in grain harvest in 2014 are southern regions countries: Krasnodar Territory - 13 161 thousand tons, Rostov Region - 9 363 thousand tons and Stavropol Territory - 8 746 thousand tons.
Oilseeds - as their name implies, are used to produce various vegetable oils. Three oilseeds are cultivated in Russia - sunflower, soybeans and mustard. In addition, oilseeds include rapeseed, which is used in the production of biodiesel.
In 2014, oilseeds were sown in Russia on an area of 11,204 thousand hectares. The total crop yield amounted to 13 839 thousand tons, the average yield - 13.4 centners per hectare. Most of all sunflower seeds were sown and harvested. 6,907 thousand hectares were allocated for this crop, and the harvest amounted to 9,034 thousand tons.
Oilseed or annual sunflower is a type of sunflower that is grown to obtain vegetable oil... Sunflower oil is the most popular type of vegetable oil in Russia and Ukraine. These two countries are world leaders in the production of this product. In total, the world produces about 12 million tons sunflower oil annually and more than 60% of this amount falls on these two countries. In world consumption, sunflower oil ranks fourth, accounting for 8.7% of world production of vegetable oils.
Soybean oil - ranks second in the world in terms of production. And in Russia this crop is the second most important oilseed crop after sunflower. Soybean oil accounts for 27.7% of all vegetable oil produced in the world. In 2014, 2,597 thousand tons of soybeans were grown in the Russian Federation, with an average yield of 13.6 centners per hectare. 10 years ago, the volume of soybean cultivation was 8 times lower than today, and the yield was lower by an average of 25-30%.
In 2014, the most big harvest mustard - 103 thousand tons. This culture is used to prepare mustard oil, which is widely used in medicine, cooking, and perfumery. Compared to other oilseeds, mustard has a low yield. In 2014, it amounted to 6.6 centners per hectare.
Rape is a herbaceous plant of the cruciferous family. It gained great popularity after the invention of biofuels. Rapeseed oil is used to make this energy carrier. In Russia, the volume of rapeseed cultivated over the past 10 years has increased more than 10 times from 135 thousand tons in 1999 to 1 464 thousand tons in 2014. The yield of this crop last year was 17.6 centners per hectare of winter rapeseed and 12.5 centners per hectare of winter rapeseed. hectare - spring.
2014 was the most fruitful year for vegetables, total vegetable crops were harvested 15 458 thousand tons. Also this year, a record number of cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, garlic and pumpkin were harvested. Total amount harvested vegetables for each type:
- Cabbage - 3,499 thousand tons;
- Tomatoes - 2,300 thousand tons;
- Onions - 1,994 thousand tons;
- Carrots - 1,662 thousand tons;
- Cucumbers - 1,111 thousand tons;
- Table beet - 1,070 thousand tons;
- Table pumpkin - 713 thousand tons;
- Zucchini - 519 thousand tons;
- Garlic - 256 thousand tons;
- Other vegetables - 979 thousand tons
On average, the yield of vegetable crops in 2014 amounted to 218 centners per hectare.
Forage crops are grown for the needs of animal husbandry, and in the Russian Federation this type of crops is sown in large volumes. In 2014, 17,127 thousand hectares were allocated for forage crops. This is the second indicator after cereals. Over the past year, about 62,000 thousand tons of various feeds were collected.
Most of the agricultural land was given over to perennial grasses. In 2014, they sowed 10 80 thousand hectares. The resulting harvest - 39 133 thousand tons was used as green fodder - 30 388 thousand tons (77.6%), and 8 745 thousand tons (22.4%) was harvested for hay.
Annual grasses were sown on an area of 4,582 thousand hectares. The harvest of 2014 - 21 650 thousand tons was distributed as follows: 10.6% was used for hay, and the remaining 89.4%, that is, 19 356 tons were used for the production of haylage - grass dried to a moisture content of 50%, preserved in special hermetic containers.
Sugar beet is the most important industrial crop for Russia. It is one of the world's two main crops used for sugar production. On average, about 170 million tons of sugar are produced in the world annually. Moreover, about 37% of all sugar is produced from sugar beets. The leaders in the cultivation of this crop are China, Ukraine, Russia and France.
In order to produce 1 kg. sugar needs a little less than 5 kg. sugar beet. In 2014, 33,513 thousand tons of beets were harvested in Russia. The yield was 370 centners per hectare. It should be noted that this figure is 16.2% lower than last year, when a record yield was recorded.
Another industrial crop - fiber flax is used for the production of natural fiber. Linen fiber is 2 times stronger than cotton and is the basis of the Russian textile industry. In addition, flax seeds are used to produce linseed oil... In 2014, 37 thousand tons of fiber of fiber flax and 7 thousand tons of seeds of this plant were collected in the Russian Federation.
Potatoes are the most common edible root vegetable in the world. More than 350 million tons of potatoes are grown in all countries annually. The leaders in potato production are China, India, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. On average, every year about 50 kg per inhabitant of the earth. of this product. And the leader in potato consumption is Belarus - 181 kg. per year per capita.
Potatoes are the most popular crop grown on households. In 2014, 31,501 thousand tons were harvested in the Russian Federation, while 80.3% - 25,300 thousand tons were grown in households. Last year was also marked by the most high yield potatoes, on average it amounted to 150 centners per hectare.
Livestock
Livestock is a branch of agriculture that supplies raw materials for food and light industry country. The main activity of animal husbandry is raising livestock for slaughter. About 260,000 thousand tons of meat are consumed in the world annually. In developed countries, consumption is on average 70 - 90 kg. meat per person per year, and in developing countries this figure barely reaches 40 kg. in year. The USA is the leader in meat consumption - about 120 kg. per person per year.
In Russia, meat consumption averages about 70 kg. per person per year. Although Russians prefer pork from all types of meat, poultry meat (mainly chicken) is consumed most of all. This is due primarily to the high cost of pork.
As for the consumption of eggs, Russia is on the same level as such countries as Germany and Italy. On average, residents of these countries consume about 220-230 eggs per year. But in terms of consumption of milk and dairy products, Russians are significantly inferior to residents of European countries and the United States. In the Russian Federation, the annual consumption of these products is about 220 kg. per year, while in the first places in the list - France and Germany, the consumption of dairy products at the level of 425 kg. per person per year.
Livestock in Russia is represented by 4 main industries:
- Cattle breeding - raising cattle for the purpose of obtaining meat and milk;
- Sheep breeding - raising livestock for meat and wool production;
- Pig breeding;
- Poultry farming - raising poultry for meat and eggs.
The bulk of the livestock is raised in large agricultural organizations. Parity is maintained only in cattle breeding. The number of heads of cattle in the household and agricultural organizations is approximately the same - 8 672 and 8 521 thousand heads, respectively. At the same time, more cows are kept in households of the population - 4,026 thousand heads, while agricultural organizations have a livestock of 3,431 thousand heads. In poultry farming, agricultural organizations account for 81% of the livestock, and in pig breeding - 79.9%.
Cattle breeding is the most important branch of Russian animal husbandry and accounts for 60% of the gross turnover. Dairy, meat and meat-and-milk cattle breeds are bred on the territory of the country. Breeding of this or that breed depends on the feeding conditions, therefore, in different regions of the Russian Federation, animals are raised that are most adapted to local conditions.
Dairy cows are bred in areas located in the forest and forest-steppe zone. First of all, these are the Northern, North-Western, Volgo-Vyatka and Ural regions. The Vologda Oblast is the region where dairy cattle breeding is most developed; it is not for nothing that this region is famous throughout Russia for its dairy products. Dairy farming accounts for over 70% of all agricultural products in the region.
Meat and meat and dairy breeds of cows are bred in the steppe regions and adjacent semi-deserts. The main breeding centers are the Central Black Earth Region, the North Caucasian Region, the south of the Urals and Siberia.
The total number of cattle at the end of 2014 was 19,293 thousand heads. This is 2.2% less than in 2013 and 3.3% less than in 2012. Since 1990, the number of cattle in Russia has been decreasing; over 25 years, the number of heads has decreased by 2.5 times. This is primarily due to the reluctance to invest in this industry, since they pay off in 8-10 years. For comparison, investments in poultry farming pay off in 1-2 years, and in pig farming in 3-4.
But despite the reduction in livestock, Russia continues to be among the leading countries in this indicator. True, the Russian livestock of cattle is only 5.91% of the Indian.
Sheep breeding is a branch of animal husbandry that has become widespread in the mountainous and arid regions of the Russian Federation. The centers of sheep breeding are the North Caucasus and the semi-desert regions of the South Urals.
Unlike cattle breeding, small ruminants in Russia are gradually gaining momentum. Compared to 2000, the number of sheep increased by 10 million heads and at the end of 2014 amounted to 22.246 million heads.
Pig breeding is most common in the Central Black Earth, Volgo-Vyatka and Volga regions of the country. That is, in areas where cereal crops and fodder crops are developed. The leader in the production of pork in the Russian Federation is the Belgorod Region - about 26% of the total Russian volume is produced here. There are 4 types of pigs bred in Russia:
- Greasy;
- Meat;
- Ham;
- Bacon.
The total number of pigs in the Russian Federation at the end of 2014 amounted to 19.575 thousand heads. All in all, there are more than 2 billion pigs in the world. About half of the livestock is in the countries of Southeast Asia (China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar), about 1/3 in the EU and CIS countries, and the United States accounts for about 10%.
Poultry farming is the most dynamically developing branch of Russian animal husbandry. The increase in the livestock began from the beginning of the 2000s and has increased 1.5 times over 14 years. Today, poultry meat is the most demanded in Russia. And the livestock reaches 529 million heads.
But apart from Russia, poultry meat is the most consumed in Australia, North and South America. For example, in the United States, the consumption of poultry meat is almost 55 kg. per person per year - this is more than 3.5 times higher than the average world consumption level.
In addition to meat, poultry farming provides the population with eggs. The average production per layer in 2014 was 308 eggs per year. On the whole, 41.8 billion eggs were produced in Russia over the past year. This performance has been maintained for several years.
Export and import of agricultural products
Compared to 2013, the export of Russian agricultural products increased by 14% and amounted to US $ 19.1 billion. But, despite such a significant growth, the amount of imports in this sector of the economy exceeds the level of exports by more than 2 times. At the end of 2014, the export of agricultural products amounted to $ 40.9 billion, which is 9.1% less than in the previous year.
Crop products account for the bulk of Russian exports. Grain crops account for about 2/3 of exports. In 2014, Russia exported over 22 million tons of wheat. This is the third world indicator after the United States and the European Union.
The overall increase in wheat exports from Russia compared to 2013 increased by 60%. The main grain deliveries were by sea, and the rating of Russian grain exporters is as follows:
- International Grain Company LLC. Export share - 12.79%, port of shipment - Temryuk.
- Trading house "RIF". The share in export is 7.78%, ports of shipment are Azov (61.33%), Rostov-on-Don (38.67%).
- Outspan International. The share in export is 7.24%, ports of shipment are Novorossiysk (51.58%), Azov (26.26%), Rostov-on-Don (13.96%).
- Cargill. The share in export is 6.96%, ports of shipment are Novorossiysk (66.71%), Rostov-on-Don (21.91%), Tuapse (11.28%).
- Aston company. The share in export is 5.46%, ports of shipment are Rostov-on-Don (76.38%), Novorossiysk (16.26%).
In addition to grains, Russia exports a large volume of sunflower oil. About 25% of the produced product is exported, that is, about 1 million tons. Russia also exports exclusive goods: black and red caviar, honey, mushrooms, berries.
Most of the imported food products are meat and meat products, fruits, vegetables, fish and fish products. The decrease in imports in 2014 was due to sanctions, as well as the import substitution program. True, not all products can be replaced with domestic ones, since due to climatic conditions it is impossible to grow them in Russia. Basically, import substitution affected livestock products. In general, imports for this sector were reduced by 10%.
In 2015, it is planned to further reduce the import of food products. For these purposes, the state commissioned production facilities specializing in the production of products not typical for Russia. Now in Tatarstan, parmesan cheese is produced, in Altai, camembert and mascarpone cheeses, and in the Sverdlovsk region they have launched the production of a meat delicacy - jamon.
Industry development prospects
In spite of excellent harvest in 2014, Russian farmers should not flatter themselves. The agricultural sector has always been one of the most difficult to develop, and given the vast territory and varied climatic conditions, a lot of efforts will have to be made to improve the agricultural sector in Russia.
First of all, you need to attract investment in the agricultural sector. Now, due to a lack of equipment, a significant part of the arable land is not cultivated. In some regions, there are only 2 tractors per 100 hectares of arable land. Due to low profitability, livestock breeders are forced to reduce the number of cattle, which leads to an increase in meat imports.
Another factor inhibiting the growth of the Russian agro-industrial complex is high price on fuels and lubricants and transportation problems. After all, the crop needs not only to be grown, but also to be harvested, delivered to the storage site and stored. Depending on the type of crops, more than 40% of products are spoiled during transportation and storage.
In addition, due to the large territory of Russia, very often there are problems with the redistribution of agricultural products. For example, on Far East in 2014, a large soybean crop was harvested, but what to do with it is not yet clear. After all, there are only two large factories for its processing, and in European part It is not profitable to bring the product to the country, since it is cheaper to bring soybeans here from Brazil.
The problem of highly qualified personnel is still urgent. Low wage and difficult working conditions, increase the outflow of workers from this industry. There is also a lack of scientific support for this segment of the economy.
But, despite all the difficulties, the government of the Russian Federation for 2015 set the task for farmers to improve the results of 2014. To provide the country with its own agricultural products, it is necessary to increase the number of cattle by 2.3 million heads, poultry - by 11 million heads, and harvest grain by 3 million tons more than was harvested in 2014.
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Agriculture is called special kind activities aimed at growing, processing and manufacturing products, as well as the provision of related services. Its main industries are animal husbandry and crop production. The well-being of its people largely depends on how developed agriculture will be as a branch of production of a particular country.
Characteristic features of crop production in Russia
There are a lot of land in our country and, it would seem, all the prerequisites for the successful development of this area of agriculture are available. However, unfortunately, Russia is geographically located in such a way that climatic conditions and different kinds natural factors seriously limit opportunities in this regard. Crop production as a branch of agriculture in our country is a rather promising direction, however, only on condition of using new technologies and
Only 35% of Russian lands are located in a temperate climate, which is not bad for growing crops such as rye, wheat, oats, buckwheat, etc. Huge areas beyond the Arctic Circle are completely unsuitable for crop production. In addition, large territories in our country are occupied by the taiga, where the cultivation of land is a process that is also associated with a huge number of difficulties.
Crop production as a branch of agriculture: main directions
At the moment, the main areas of agriculture in Russia include:
- The grain direction is of great importance for the population of any state in the world, including our country. Bread can be considered the staple food for humans. The most valuable feed for farm animals is also made from
- Feed production. This is the name of the system of various measures aimed at the manufacture, procurement and processing of animal feed. In this case, the land is used for growing mainly meadow crops, root crops, tubers, melons, etc.
- Cultivation of industrial crops. These include cotton, flax, sunflower, sugar beet, tobacco, etc.
- Vegetable growing and potato growing.
- Viticulture and horticulture.
Geography of crop production in Russia
So, the main agriculture in our country is animal husbandry and agriculture. Geographically, Russia is located in several climatic zones... On crop production, and in particular on the diversity of the composition of cultivated crops, this reason has an impact primarily.
So, wheat, demanding to the thermal regime, prefers nutritious loamy soils, a fairly drought-resistant crop, is grown mainly in the steppe and forest-steppe zones. The growing range of less fastidious rye has wider boundaries. Barley, on the other hand, is widespread in almost the entire agricultural territory of the country - from the cold northern regions to the arid southern ones.
Various types of industrial crops are also common in different zones... Sunflower, for example, grows very well in arid regions. The only thing is to get good harvests this crop should be planted only on sufficiently fertile soils. Sunflower is grown mainly in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of the European part of the country. Sugar beets, on the other hand, are very demanding on the humidity regime. Therefore, it became widespread mainly only in the central and western regions forest-steppe zone.
Vegetable growing includes a huge number of crops belonging to different biological species. Therefore, it is well developed practically on the entire agricultural territory of Russia. The most common crops in open farming are cabbage, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, onions, beets and carrots. They are grown on an industrial scale most often in those places where there is access to water - along the shores of lakes, rivers and reservoirs. The largest centers of vegetable growing have developed in the lower reaches of the Volga and Don and in the North Caucasus.
Gardening is also an important area in the field of agriculture. The branches of agriculture associated with the cultivation of fruit and berry crops are also widely spread in Russia, especially in its European part (Volga region, Krasnodar Territory). The greatest variety of fruit crops is observed in the North Caucasus. A lot of gardens are also planted in Bashkiria and Altai.
Characteristic features of animal husbandry
This industry is also promising for our country. Suffice it to recall that before the beginning of the crisis at the end of the last century, she was one of the leading. The characterization of the agricultural sector in this case will be incomplete without a small digression into history. In the Soviet Union, animal husbandry, and cattle breeding in particular, was very well developed. However, the economic crisis of subsequent years had more than Negative influence... From 1991 to 2005 alone, the number of cattle decreased from 54.7 to 21.4 million tons. According to the results of the same 2005, animal husbandry in our country was considered unprofitable. Therefore, there was an increase in imports of this product.
However, at the moment, agriculture (including animal husbandry) in our country can be considered more or less profitable. To some extent, this is due to the development of private farms.
Main industries
So, what are the main directions of agriculture in this case? The branches of agriculture in animal husbandry are as follows:
- Cattle breeding. Cattle breeding along with grain growing is one of the main directions of agricultural production.
- Pig breeding. This is the second most important branch. Its importance is also difficult to overestimate. This direction is classified into meat, semi-lard and bacon.
- Goat breeding and sheep breeding. These directions are most widespread in the steppe zones, as well as in mountainous regions.
- Horse breeding. This industry is designed to provide the national economy with thoroughbred breeding animals, sporting and productive.
- Camel breeding. This direction has received the broadest development in the desert and semi-desert regions of Russia. Also, very high quality wool and milk are obtained from these animals.
- Reindeer husbandry. This industry is a specialization of areas located in the tundra (Magadan, Arkhangelsk regions, etc.).
- Poultry keeping. Another important branch of animal husbandry.
- Fur farming. The main task of this direction is to provide the national economy with skins of small fur-bearing animals.
- Beekeeping. This industry is responsible for the production of a number of valuable products - honey, wax, royal jelly, bee venom, etc.
And agriculture is directly related to each other. Of course, this also applies to animal husbandry. Without well-developed pig and livestock breeding, for example, the food industry is unlikely to be particularly profitable. If the state does not pay attention to such industries as animal husbandry and sheep breeding, the population of Russia will be left without warm clothes of its own.
Livestock geography in Russia
The location and specialization of this direction are mainly determined by the availability of a food base for a particular group of animals. That is, animal husbandry as a branch of agriculture, although to a lesser extent than crop production, is also dependent on natural and climatic factors.
Intensive in our country is developed mainly in the European part - in the upper reaches of the Volga and Dnieper. These are mainly the Moscow and Yaroslavl regions. The same direction is typical for the south of the St. Petersburg region. They are engaged in cattle breeding in other regions of the European part of the country, as well as in the southern regions of Siberia in the Urals. However, in this case we are talking mainly about meat and dairy cattle breeding. It is also widespread to the north - in most of Siberia, but in these regions it is mostly extensive. In the subpolar regions, reindeer husbandry has developed greatly. Most cattle are bred in the Urals, in the Volga and Central regions, as well as in the North Caucasus.
Cultivation in our country is very widespread in the Volga region, in the North Caucasus, in the Urals and in Eastern Siberia. Sheepskin-coat production is well developed in the central regions of the European part of Russia. Pig breeding is practiced almost throughout the country. To a lesser extent, this direction is developed in the Far East.
What influences the development of agriculture
In addition to climatic and weather conditions, the following factors can influence the development of animal husbandry and crop production in any state:
- The degree of support from the state. How more money will be invested in new technologies, the more profitable agriculture will be. Sectors of agriculture in any direction are highly dependent on the amount of subsidies. These funds are mainly spent on the development of innovative industries, the purchase of equipment, and the development of new technologies.
- Carrying out measures to restore depleted soils in areas of intensive crop production. For a country to be able to compete with other states on the world market for agricultural products, there should be as much fertile land as possible on its territory.
- Another very important factor in the development of the economy of a particular country in a market environment is the presence of a healthy competitive environment. The main branches of agriculture in this regard are no exception.
- The state of science and technology. The more innovations are introduced, the more profitable livestock and crop production. Scientific progress- This is one of the main factors in reducing the cost of food.
Environmental problems
All branches of agriculture in Russia, in addition to the above factors, directly depend on the environmental situation. Unfortunately, in our country, a predatory attitude to the riches of nature and mismanagement have led to a significant deterioration in the situation in this regard.
In the steppe and forest-steppe zones, it is heavily disturbed mainly due to wind and water erosion... Meanwhile, the experience of creating landscapes with ecological stability was laid back at the end of the 19th century by V.V.Dokuchaev in the Voronezh region, in the Kamennaya Steppe tract. Now the Research Institute of Agriculture is located here. This experience is definitely worth using today.
Violation of the ecological balance in deciduous-forest and forest taiga zones is usually associated with drainage of swamps and uncontrolled deforestation.
How can environmental problems be solved in modern Russia
Fortunately, at the moment the situation in our country in this regard is beginning to change dramatically. The most important task of a recently created science - environmental economics - is not only to assess the state of the environment in the light of the possibility of its use, but also forecasting the development of ecological systems, attempts to foresee the future and the ability to manage them today. Of course, such an approach will have a more than beneficial effect on the main branches of agriculture.
The main methods of greening modern land use at the moment are the preservation of biological organisms and the creation of natural environmentally friendly fertilizers based on fungi, bacteria and algae. The science of humus biology is the tomorrow of farming.
The latest developments in this area are being introduced into all branches of agriculture in Russia today. For example, in the Krasnodar Territory, herbicide-free technologies for the production of rice and corn are used. In some farms of the Omsk region, the rejection of the use of pesticides and the use of new farming technologies have led to a significant increase in yield.
New techniques include, for example:
- Drip irrigation, adopted not only by large farms, but also by many owners of personal plots.
- Moldless plowing.
- Natural biological seasonal turnover of crops.
The plans awaiting implementation in the near future include the introduction of a comprehensive and comprehensive monitoring natural environment... That is, observing her reaction to economic activity person and taking appropriate measures in advance. Of course, this will have a positive impact on agriculture. The branches of agriculture - livestock and crop production - will become profitable and profitable.
Agriculture in Germany
While reviving livestock and crop production in Russia, of course, one should pay attention to the experience of those countries where these industries are very well developed. Germany is often cited as an example. At the moment, a lot of attention is paid to the development of agriculture in this country. The profitability of all its structures is largely influenced by the impeccable and most thoughtful organization, as well as the rational and careful use of natural resources.
In the central regions of Germany and in the south of this country, agricultural production is mainly occupied by owners of small farms. This situation becomes the cause of the occurrence healthy competition, a powerful incentive for the introduction of the latest techniques. The branches of agriculture in Germany - livestock and crop production - bring huge profits to this country.
In our country, the possibility of implementing most of the projects and the development of new technologies in animal husbandry and agriculture will largely depend on perfection legislative framework soon. Reasonable management of the economy and conservation of natural resources should become the priority tasks of the state. Perhaps, in the future, the structure of the Russian agricultural sector will resemble the German one. However, at the moment the main share of food products in our country is produced by rather large agricultural organizations.
Huntington S. Collision of Civilization. Moscow. AST. 2008.
FGOUTS VPO Vyatka State Agricultural Academy
Faculty of Economics
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By (subject) economics of the agro-industrial complex
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Surname I.O. (student) Sudnishikova Anastasia Sergeevna
Speciality Economics and enterprise management
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Group E-410
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FULL NAME. teacher Larinina Tatiana Ivanovna
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1. Significance and features of agriculture as an industry ……………… ..3p.
2. Dynamics of the main indicators of the industry development (production volumes of the main types of products, crop yields, etc.) ………………………………………………………………………… ……… ..6 p.
3. Formation of agricultural holdings ………………………………………… ..10 p.
4. Practical task …………………………………………………… 13 p.
List of used literature …………………………………………… 15 p.
The value and characteristics of agriculture as an industry
Agriculture is one of the main and vital branches of the national economy. At present, three-quarters of the population's demand for consumer goods is met by agriculture.
At present, three-quarters of the population's demand for consumer goods is satisfied by agriculture.
Agriculture is one of the main suppliers of raw materials for the industry. More than 50% of agricultural products are used as raw materials. Agriculture supplies raw materials for light, food, feed and other industries.
In turn, agriculture is a large consumer of manufactured goods. The industry supplies the village with tractors, cars, equipment, fuel and lubricants, mineral fertilizers, compound feed, etc. In the structure of costs for the production of agricultural products, the share of industrial goods accounts for up to 40%.
Consequently, the development of some industries is largely dependent on agriculture, at the same time, the successful functioning of agricultural producers is determined by the level of industrial development.
Each branch of the national economy has specific means of production, manufactured products, certain production relations, and requires appropriate qualifications from workers. Agricultural production also has some peculiarities.
1. In agriculture, land is used as the main, irreplaceable means of production. Unlike other means of production, land does not wear out when used correctly, but retains its qualities.
2. The specific means of production in agriculture are living organisms - plants, animals, which develop on the basis of biological laws. The economic process of reproduction is intertwined with the natural, natural.
3. The results of agricultural production depend on soil and climatic conditions, while this factor does not affect industrial production. For example, the yield of grain crops in the Central economic region is 10-15 centners per hectare, and in the North Caucasus region - 20-25 centners per hectare, the production cost in the second region is 40-45% lower than in the first. In addition, natural and climatic conditions have a significant impact on the location and specialization of agriculture. Certain agricultural crops can grow and mature only in certain climatic conditions.
4. In agriculture, the working period does not coincide with the production period. This determines the seasonality of agricultural production. The difference between production time and working period is most pronounced when growing winter grain crops. Their production period begins at July-August, from the moment of preparation and sowing, and ends in July of the next year with the harvest. 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 mainly determined natural conditions the growth and development of plants continues continuously. Seasonality has a significant impact on the organization of production, the use of equipment and labor resources.
5. The products created in the industry are directly used in the further production process as its means (seeds, feed, young cattle, organic fertilizers, etc.), while the industry receives its main raw materials from enterprises in other industries. This feature is associated with the specificity of the production technology. In agriculture, the technological process is based on the use of biological factors, living organisms, and industry technology is based on the use of chemical, physical and mechanical processes.
6. In agriculture, as a rule, implements of production (tractors, machines, combines and other agricultural machinery) are moved, and not objects of labor (plants).
Agricultural machinery is so specific that it is mainly used for the production of certain types of products and is not suitable for other types. For the production of each type of product, a complex of machines is carried out. Therefore, the overall demand for technology is much higher here than in industries.
7. The social division of labor in agriculture is manifested in a different way than in industry. This industry specializes in the production of certain, as a rule, finished types of marketable products in accordance with the natural and economic conditions of the region, which is taken into account when locating its enterprises.
Most agricultural enterprises produce several types of marketable products. Plant and animal products are produced on the same farm, since crop production provides animals with fodder, and animal husbandry provides manure, which is used as organic fertilizer, and also allows the rational use of land resources unsuitable for the cultivation of field crops.
8. The industry is characterized by price inelasticity of demand for agricultural products. The coefficient of elasticity of demand for them< 1. коэффициент эластичности – результат деления процента изменения величины спроса на процент изменения цены товара. В большинстве развитых стран для сельскохозяйственной продукции коэффициент эластичности спроса составляет от 0,20 до 0,25. Эти цифры говорят о том, что цены сельскохозяйственных продуктов должны были бы понизиться на 40-50% для того, чтобы потребители увеличили свои закупки всего лишь на 10%. Таким образом, спрос на продукты питания почти не зависит от изменения цен.
9. The presence of a large number of agricultural producers creates conditions for high competition in the product market. This makes it possible to influence the market price of an individual commodity producer, that is, there are no conditions for creating a monopoly. Thus, the market for agricultural raw materials is a market that is close in its characteristics to the market of perfect competition.
The listed and other features of agriculture determine the peculiar nature of the operation of general economic laws in it, which must be taken into account when organizing agricultural production.