Fruit and vegetable sector of the Eurasian Economic Union: potential for growth and limiting factors

Issue № 8, 2023, article № 11, pages 107-114

Language: Russian

Original language title: ПЛОДООВОЩНОЙ СЕКТОР ЕВРАЗИЙСКОГО ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО СОЮЗА: ПОТЕНЦИАЛ РОСТА И СДЕРЖИВАЮЩИЕ ФАКТОРЫ

Keywords: FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SECTOR, EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION, PROVISION WITH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, SUSTAINABLE OPERATION, IMPORT DEPENDENCE, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Abstract: An essential task for Member-states of Eurasian Economic Union is to develop a competitive and sustainable fruit and vegetable sector which is align with the needs of the domestic demand. Despite the dynamic development of crop production as a sub-sector,, its current scale of gross yield is not enough to fulfill the demand of fruits and vegetables in the frame of EAEU. The article contains comparative analysis of production and trade data of fruits and vegetables in the world and in the Member-states of the EAEU. Most of the fruits and berries in the EAEU are grown in Russia and Belarus, vegetables – in Russia and Kazakhstan. It is noted that the proportion of fruits and vegetables purchased from foreign countries in the structure of agricultural imports is close to 30%. At the same time, the most significant growth of import is observed in the interseasonal period due to the lack of modern storage facilities. Of particular interest is the analysis of development of fruit and vegetable industry thru implementation of the measures of integrational policy at the Union level. The article contains both: assessments of deterrence factors as well as proposals for strengthening cooperation between the Member-states in the field of vegetable and fruit growing, including the introduction of high-yield varieties and hybrids developed in the EAEU, the implementation of joint projects, the advancement of cooperative ties among small-scale producers, the development of digital technologies, technical systems for fruit and vegetable storage, the use of ecological farming methods, and others.

Authors: Kamalian Artak Kadzhikovich