Яндекс.Метрика

Issue № 9, September 2022, article № 11

The Evolution of Competition and Russia's Position in the Global Mineral Fertilizer Markets

This article is devoted to the evolution of world market of fertilizers based on data from the Trade Map portal (on the export of fertilizers by countries) from 2012 to 2020. The Lind index, Herfindahl-Hirschman index, and the SV matrix were used as methods of analysis. The analysis revealed that in all segments of the fertilizer market, competition is limited by the presence of a dominant group of big players. Relatively high-competitive segments include the animal and vegetable fertilizer market, the nitrogenous fertilizer market, and the mixed fertilizer market. The phosphatic fertilizer market is not that stable and aims for a “natural oligopoly” segment, and the low-competitive markets include the potassic fertilizer market, where Canada is the major exporter and occupies almost 40% of the world market. From the point of view of dominant groups, we can note that almost all markets are quite stable in terms of the composition of the dominant group, which remained practically unchanged over the period under review since 2012. The market of mixed fertilizers can be singled out as the most dynamic market according to this criterion, where significant changes took place during the period under review (for example, China increased its share in world exports and took 1st place in this indicator, Morocco improved its position in the market under consideration, while the share The United States fell by 2 times, which led to the withdrawal of the United States from the dominant group in the global market for mixed fertilizers). Russia is practically not represented in relatively small export markets, while in large markets it occupies a fairly significant position: the Russian Federation is in 1st place in the export of nitrogen fertilizers and consistently ranks second in the market of potash fertilizers, in the large market of mixed fertilizers, the Russian Federation is gradually losing its positions.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 1

On the Role of Farming in Food Security

Basic food consumption is one of the most important characteristics of food security. To solve this urgent problem, in 2020, the Doctrine of Food Security of the Russian Federation was approved, which should solve problems both in the field of organizing agro-industrial production and the socio-economic policy of the state. The new version of the document strengthens both of these components, but it is necessary to adjust the existing mechanisms for solving the tasks and new challenges. In solving these problems, it is necessary to take into account such a category of farms as peasant (farm) farms, which are becoming more and more significant producers of agricultural products, playing an important role in the development of rural areas. Small businesses of the agro-industrial complex, including peasant (farm) farms, produce more than half of the agricultural products produced in the country. Their development creates conditions not only for self-employment of the rural population, but also self-sufficiency in basic food. At the same time, problems persist in the development of small agricultural enterprises. According to Rosstat data over the past 5 years, due to unfavorable conditions for development, the number of peasant (farm) farms decreased by 48 thousand and amounted to 162,379. Many problems remain that prevent their activation and require the creation of new mechanisms, including the normalization of the social sphere in the countryside for more successful functioning.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 2

Methodological Approaches to the Assessment of Public Goods Produced by Rural Economies

Value of public goods produced by the rural economy is relevant for two reasons. Firstly, to more accurately reflect its contribution to the gross welfare in comparison with other sectors (which is important for elaborating balanced strategies for the development of the country's economy). Secondly, to study the feasibility of reimbursement of its costs due to the incremental production of public goods. The paper reviews the principles of evaluation applied or applicable to the evaluation of public goods created by the rural economy. Their list is supplemented by the principle of policy costs, which, in comparison with others, is better aligned with R.Coase's arguments about financing public goods through taxes. A technique is proposed that implements this principle, based on a questionnaire survey of experts. In the application to the rural economy, the considered principles are ranked according to the criteria of objectivity, accuracy, laboriousness of assessment and data availability. Furthermore, the paper justifies the predominant use of the principles of hidden transfers and policy costs for evaluation in order to access the contribution of the rural economy to public welfare. To justify the reimbursement of the increase in the production of public goods of the rural economy, it is recommended to compare the assessment according to the cost principle with the assessment according to the principle of policy costs: the amount of financing of the increase should be such that the first of them does not exceed the second.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 4

Transition to "Smart Agriculture" in the Interests of Ensuring Food Security in Russia

The relevance of the topic of the study is due to the fact that agriculture, on the one hand, being a producer of food security, on the other hand, causes significant damage to the environment and natural capital, because in Russia up to now the economic activity in this industry has mainly extensive and resource-intensive nature. Purpose of the study: to present and describe the concept of "smart agriculture" (climatically and ecologically optimized agriculture), which can be implemented in the conditions of the Russian economy. The methodology of the study is based on the institutional-economic methodological approach, involving the analysis of big data of agricultural industry statistics, as well as the synthesis of recommendations on its regulatory and legal regulation and practical guidance of current changes. The article analyzes the dynamics of the Russian food security index in the context of its key components, including the environmental consequences of the industry. The formula of transition from extensive to "smart", i.e. climatically and ecologically optimized agriculture is described, which includes the following components: new understanding of sustainability, responsibility and productivity of agricultural activities; creation of a new institutional space for agricultural activities; reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants; transition to resource-saving and digital technologies of energy supply, logistics, management. By the end of 2021 Russia ranked 23rd in the Global Food Security Index, but the efficiency and quality of use of natural capital to ensure food security cannot be recognized as acceptable. This is primarily due to the fact that the Russian agriculture functions as a resource-intensive one, which is not focused on replenishment of natural capital and compensation for the accumulated environmental damage. The concept of "smart agriculture" proposed in the article is capable of overcoming the described problems.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 5

Information Subsystem Integration Mechanism Of Agricultural, Processing And Marketing Enterprises In Region

System integration is one of the most effective instruments of increase in level of efficiency of functioning of the enterprises of the sphere of agrarian and industrial complex. In this regard there is an objective need for a research of features of the mechanism of transformation of internal functions, interactions and operations within the organizations uniting in complete structure. In relation to the agrarian sector of Russia the solution of problems of system integration is difficult owing to the low level of digitalization of the majority of agricultural producers and therefore it is a little lit in scientific researches. The purpose of the presented work is formation on the basis of the developed earlier methodical approach to creation of mechanisms of system integration of the enterprises of the second and third spheres of agrarian and industrial complex of the region of the information mechanism designed to display graphically structure, movement and synchronization of flows of information on all internal processes of the studied organizations for the purpose of their effective optimization. The method used in work is guided by GOST P ISO 19439 "The national standard of the Russian Federation. Integration of the enterprise. A basis of modeling of the enterprise", including the principles of system approach and expressing models of the nature of the enterprises and also the economic mechanism of their managing through a number of standard representations (subsystems). The analysis which is carried out in article allowed to reveal a number of positive aspects of functioning of the studied organizations of the region interacting with each other on the principles of partial integration. However existence of a number of negative trends in their development testifies to need of search of new opportunities for improvement of a control system of internal processes. The structure of the mechanism of integration of information subsystem on the example of the concrete agricultural, overworking and marketing enterprises of the region is reflected in article, including basic elements for its construction are specified, interrelations between them are described, internal interactions both at the private level of managing of the organizations, and at a stage of their merge in the general design on the basis of automation and introduction of elements of information technologies are detailed.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 6

Improvement of the Organizational and Economic Mechanism of State Regulation of the Milk Product Subcomplex of Siberia

The dairy sub complex is an integrated subsystem of technologically and economically interconnected industries united by a common goal – to satisfy the population with milk and dairy products, taking into account scientifically based consumption standards. Currently, the dairy sub complex of the Siberian region operates in conditions of imbalance of its constituent industries. In dairy cattle breeding, the number of cows has not yet stabilized, which creates a difficult situation in the raw milk market. A difficult situation is developing in the dairy processing industry. On the one hand, the industry operates in conditions of a narrowing of the raw milk market, on the other – in conditions of falling effective demand of the population. In such a situation, unscrupulous processing enterprises are trying to find easier ways to make a profit. Namely: to produce counterfeit instead of high-quality dairy products, replacing milk fat with cheap animal fats and palm oil. By the organizational and economic mechanism, we understand the system of organizational structures and economic levers and methods of influencing the development of the dairy sub complex in order to increase its efficiency and achieve its objectives. At the heart of the improvement of the organizational and economic mechanism, we see the strengthening of state regulation and comprehensive support for the industries included in the dairy sub complex. In this study, the main directions of improving the organizational and economic mechanism of state regulation of the dairy sub complex of Siberia with an emphasis on regulatory support are outlined.

Issue № 8, August 2022, article № 7

Improving the Efficiency of Perennial Grass Fodder Production in the Non-Black Earth Region of Russia through the Use of Digital Technologies

The article considers the significance and problems of development of dairy cattle and fodder production in the regions of the Non-Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation. The influence of the level of development of dairy cattle and fodder production from perennial grasses on the intensity of the use of arable land in the regions of Non-Black Earth was determined. Analysis of production and economic indicators of pilot farms in the Leningrad region confirmed the significant impact of the intensity of feed production on the efficiency of milk production. Insufficient realization of the advantage of dairy cows as ruminants to digest cheap voluminous fodder produced in the Non-Black Earth lands with low alternative cost reduces the efficiency of milk production and investment attractiveness of the industry, despite the high dairy productivity. Analysis of the cost structure of perennial grass fodder production revealed the problems of increasing the efficiency of their cultivation, timely reseeding using seeds of high quality, increasing the technical equipment of production, intensive use of mineral fertilizers and crop protection chemicals. Increased risks in agricultural production in the "zone of risky agriculture" cause the need to form in farms and regions of Non-Black Earth Region adaptive system of forage production, taking into account territorial and local agro-climatic, production-economic and environmental features, allowing the optimal realization of the effect of scale in dairy cattle husbandry. The proposed structure of the digital information-analytical system for planning and controlling the production of forages from perennial grasses for highly productive cows is designed to ensure the development and effective functioning of the adaptive system of forage production in regions with an acute shortage of personnel in rural areas, accumulating knowledge and experience, new requirements for quality forage for highly productive animals, local conditions, forecast and actual external environment parameters.