The main types of agriculture in Russia. Abstract: Agriculture: a general overview

Russia is a huge state, the borders of which extend over more than seventeen million square kilometers. The world's first country in terms of territory has the richest natural resources, fertile soils and forests, rivers and lakes, pastures and meadows. Russia has tremendous potential for agricultural activities. This is a priority area, which today began to pay close attention. That is why today we want to talk about agriculture. Branches of agriculture, priority directions of their development - all this is valuable information for those who want to link their future with natural production.

Main directions

To date it is known great amount directions in which you can move and develop by producing a particular product and selling it to the appropriate consumers. At the same time, it is in Russia, with its vast areas and resources, that agriculture is the least developed area. The branches of agriculture are constantly developing, new ones appear, which means that every businessman has the opportunity to choose the niche that he likes the most.

So, from time immemorial, two macro-industrial complexes have been distinguished in this huge sector. These are crop and animal husbandry. In turn, each of them will be divided into dozens of industries. Distinctive feature agricultural activity is highly dependent on external factors, in particular on agro-climatic conditions. It is they who determine not only the geography, but also the specialization of industries. If you decide to lead own business, then think about the prospects that agriculture opens up for you. There are various branches of agriculture, from traditional to exotic in the form of pineapple plantations and shrimp farms. But they are all united by one factor. The produced product will always be in demand.

Plant growing as a branch of agriculture

Many thousands of years ago, man learned to cultivate the land and plant the seeds he found in order to get a large harvest of the same crop. Since then, agriculture has not lost its relevance. Many kilometers of hectares of land sown with various plants - this is how many of us imagine agriculture. The branches of agriculture can be very diverse, they are distinguished by the amount of necessary investments and profitability. But all cultivated crops are important and necessary.

What areas are developed

Basically, land for arable land was given in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the country. Agriculture has a pronounced zonation. This is understandable: growing beets or potatoes in the tundra is very problematic. But this is not the only reason. The problems of the development of agricultural sectors lie in the fact that without the immediate vicinity of the end consumer, only large farms can exist that have the opportunity to export their products to cities. Therefore, a suburban type of agriculture has developed near large population centers. And in northern regions farming in closed ground is being developed.

The European part of Russia is the most favorable region. Here the agricultural areas are located in a continuous strip. In Western Siberia, they are only in the southern regions, in the Altai valleys. The central region is ideal for growing beets and potatoes, flax and legumes. Wheat is grown in the Central and Volga-Vyatka region, in the Volga region and in the Urals, in the Caucasus. In more northern regions, rye and barley are sown.

Features of domestic crop production

It is in Russia that more than 1% of all arable land in the world is located. Huge territories, different climatic zones - all this allows the country to be an exporter of a variety of crops. Plant growing as a branch of agriculture specializes in the cultivation of useful, cultivated plants. The basis of it is grain farming. Grain is a product that is most in demand on the world market. More than half of the total sown area in Russia is occupied by grain crops. And of course, the leader among them is wheat.

Agriculture in Russia is, first of all, golden fields on which future grain is eared. Hard and soft varieties are grown. The first go to the manufacture of bakery products, and the second - to pasta. In Russia, winter and spring varieties are grown, the total productivity is 47 million tons.

In addition to wheat, agriculture in Russia is the world's largest exporter of other grains and legumes, sugar beets and sunflowers, potatoes and flax.

Grassland is an important branch of crop production

Not everyone will remember the importance of growing meadow grasses for hay. But it is it that is the basis of feed for livestock. Today, the area of ​​grazing land is shrinking, and even private livestock farms buy hay for their animals at once for the whole season. And what about large farms where animals do not leave the stall.

Grassland as a branch of agriculture today is still completely undeveloped. Entrepreneurs prefer to simply buy or lease land and mow the grass that has grown on it in time. However, if you use the achievements of modern agrotechnical science, you can get rich forbs, which means you can mow more hay from a smaller piece of land. But that's not all. Purposeful sowing of the land with the right herbs, as well as the use of modern dressings, make it possible to mow young and juicy grass many times in a row from the same area. There is a saving of usable space and an obvious benefit.

Industrial crops

Not all plants are edible, but this does not make them any less useful. Today, cotton cultivation is becoming more and more popular in Russia. The branch of agriculture is quite new for our latitudes, but it has great prospects. Still, because the need for natural fabrics is only increasing.

The climate of the Stavropol Territory is best suited for growing this crop. In fact, this is not a new direction of crop production at all. In the 1930s, more than 120,000 hectares of cotton were cultivated here. At the same time, the harvest was more than 60 thousand tons of raw cotton. Today, this practice is being revived in the region, although it has not yet reached such a scale.

The second big section is animal husbandry

Most entrepreneurs decide to engage in farming, considering this area to be more profitable. Indeed, meat, milk, eggs and valuable furs are sold very quickly, at a decent price. But do not forget that animal husbandry is a branch of agriculture that will require you to have special knowledge, extensive experience and the help of professional livestock specialists. Any mistake costs a lot of money. Poor quality feed will lead to poor growth of young animals, a delay in vaccination can cause death of animals.

Features of animal husbandry in Russia

All countries are, to one degree or another, exporters of meat and other food products. This is not surprising, since livestock is the branch of agriculture that is most in demand. Quality food will never be left without its end consumer. At the same time, in the vast expanses of Russia, animal husbandry is completely dependent on crop production, since it is this industry that is the natural producer of feed. Therefore, each region specializes in the cultivation of a particular type of animal.

Reindeer husbandry is developed in the North. In the central strip of Russia, breeding of large cattle both dairy and dairy-meat direction. In the more southern regions, mainly small livestock are bred for meat. This is due to the presence of more roughage. Goats and sheep are bred in the mountainous regions.

Zonarity

Continuing to consider what branches of agriculture are, we never cease to be surprised at how many options livestock farming offers businessmen. Pig breeding is widely developed throughout the country. This is one of the most productive branches of the livestock complex. This is due to the fact that pigs grow quickly, are unpretentious, and their meat is familiar and even preferred in Russia.

In the Kuban and in the Don region, horse breeding is a traditional industry. And we are talking about breeding. Today, this industry is in decline, although it is very promising. In suburban areas, as well as in the cities themselves, poultry farming is almost universally developed. There are several directions here:

• Breeding birds for feathers (down).
• For meat.
• For an egg.

Depending on the choice of the entrepreneur, they are engaged in the cultivation of chickens, geese and ducks. Today, however, new branches of agriculture have emerged. Some farms have been converted into ostrich or peacock farms. These are completely new directions, so livestock breeders have to learn all the subtleties of the content literally from scratch.

In the forest regions, which are more than enough in Russia, fur farming is developed. For these purposes, the huntsmen breed mink and arctic fox, sable. Under natural conditions, squirrels, martens and beavers are caught.

Beekeeping: features and prospects

Beekeeping products are in great demand, if you have even a few hives, they will bring a stable income. However, don't get too carried away. Beekeeping is a branch of agriculture that requires considerable experience and knowledge. In addition, in order to get a really valuable product, it is necessary to live in an ecologically clean area, preferably in the mountains, where there are luxurious meadows nearby. Professional beekeepers set aside an area of ​​​​120 square meters for apiary.

In fact, the state of this industry in our country is far from ideal. Despite the huge areas, Russia produces much less honey than, for example, Mexico. Although luxurious meadows with honey plants, we have fruit trees in abundance. That is, there is a basis for the development of beekeeping in our country, we just need to realize the potential of our natural resources. And this can be done only as a result of investment in this industry, as well as the creation of special training centers. After all, only strict observance technology allows the beekeeping industry year after year not only to maintain, but also to increase the number of families, and hence the volume of products received.

Expert assessments

To date, the demand for quality honey on the market is about a million tons per year, and existing farms provide only 200 tons. That is, the shortage of fresh honey is observed in almost all regions. It is covered by imports, so there is room for growth.

An acute shortage of honey leads to the fact that traders sell fake, which prevents proper formation prices for finished products. Of course, this hits the pocket of beginner beekeepers. Few people know that beekeeping in our country is an extremely profitable business. Only 15-20 families are enough to be profitable at the end of the season. However state support beekeeping, as, for example, in Europe, we do not have at all. Therefore, a novice businessman is left alone with the problems that arise. They are completely solvable, but it takes time and money.

Fishing in Russia

No, we are not going to talk about amateurs who are ready to sit with fishing rods along the banks of rivers and reservoirs all weekend. We are interested in fishing as a branch of agriculture. It is customary to think that fishing is carried out somewhere on the shores of China, India and Japan, where delicious marine life is found, and their production brings fabulous money. But in Russia, fish production is carried out regularly. For this, specialized minesweepers go to sea. They return to ports with rich booty, which is distributed fresh or frozen, or used to prepare canned food.

Among the commercial fish that are caught in Russia, there are red (salmon, white salmon) and white (pike, pike perch, catfish and carp, crucian carp). The most important commercial fish belong to the herring and cod family. Fish from the carp, salmon and sturgeon families are of great commercial importance.

Fish farming

In fact, this branch of agriculture is not very developed in Russia. This is primarily due to climatic features. But today paid ponds have become increasingly popular. These are artificial reservoirs that are regularly stocked with certain types of underwater inhabitants. For a fee, you can spend several hours or even days on such a reservoir and fish out the coveted trophy.

Fish farming includes activities such as breeding at all stages life cycle, cultivation and maintenance of broodstock. Equally important are such activities as acclimatization and selection.

Why is the potential not realized today?

Indeed, you involuntarily ask yourself this question. All branches of agriculture in the world are more developed than in Russia, despite the richest resources and vast areas. Why is this happening? According to experts, the field of agricultural business today has four main problems:

• Climatic features. Our country is the only one in the world that includes eight natural and climatic zones. Only 30% of the territory of Russia has a favorable and relatively predictable climate, which makes it possible to engage in agriculture without risk.
• Financing. If in European countries the state sponsors a start-up business and takes on some of the risks associated with its development, then in our country lending to peasant farms is going extremely poorly.
• Lack of agricultural machinery fleet. Most small farms are forced to partially or fully use manual labor because they can't afford to buy equipment.
• managerial factors. Often, a person who does not have an agricultural or veterinary education stands at the head of a peasant economy. As a result, the efficiency of activities, and consequently, the profitability is much lower.

As you can see, there are many problems. However, the domestic manufacturer is used to overcoming difficulties. If even in such conditions people achieve good results, then this niche in the market is free and you can safely try to realize yourself in it.

Instead of a conclusion

Agriculture as a branch of the economy is a large complex aimed at providing the population with food and clothing. The most important industry, it is a reflection of the development of the state as a whole. After all, meeting the basic needs of the population is a priority for any country. Russia has an amazing potential to provide food not only to its citizens, but also to export them. Today, however, many branches of agriculture are experiencing problems. It should be noted that the government today drew attention to this trend and is making an effort to correct the situation, so Russia can expect big changes. In fact, the future development of the country depends on the level of training of personnel, as well as on subsidizing agriculture.

Agriculture (s / x) - 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 cultivation of domestic animals. Humans need crops for food, feeding animals and obtaining fiber (cotton and sisal). Animals are raised for wool, milk, meat, or organic waste (as fuel). Agriculture ranges from small subsidiary farms 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 throughout the world. Rebuild from \x to scientific basis took place in Europe in the 18th century in response to significant population growth. Mechanization set the stage for significant agricultural progress in Europe and the United States in the 19th century. After the Second World War, there was a "boom" in the use of chemicals. However, there was opposition in society to the use of certain types of drugs, because they polluted and destroyed environment. This stimulated the development of alternative methods, such as farming 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). M. I. Vavilov identified 8 centers of origin of cultivated plants, and his students and followers identified 4 centers of animal domestication. Plants and animals that appeared in these centers then spread to most of the earth's land.

The role of agriculture in the economy

Cultivation of arable land with a tractor (Sweden)

Cultivation with livestock (Indonesia)

The role of agriculture in the economy of a country or region shows its structure and level of development. As an indicator of the role of agriculture in the economy, the share of the economically active population employed in agriculture is used, as well as specific gravity agriculture in the structure of GDP. These figures are quite high in most developing countries, where more than half of the EAP (economically active population) is employed in agriculture. Agriculture in such countries is extensive way development, that is, an increase in production is achieved by expanding acreage, increasing the number of cattle, increasing the number of people employed in agriculture. In such countries, whose economies are of the agrarian type, the indicators of mechanization, chemicalization, melioration, etc. are low.

The agriculture of the developed countries of Europe and North America, which have entered the post-industrial stage, has reached the highest level. Only 2-6% of EAN is employed in agriculture there. In these countries, green revolution”occurred 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, and is developing according to intensive way.

Similar progressive changes are also taking place 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 ones.

At the same time, in developed countries there is a crisis of overproduction of food, and in agrarian, on the contrary, one of the most acute problems is the food problem (the problem of malnutrition and hunger).

Branch and regional features of agriculture

As a branch of agriculture, agriculture has the following main features:

1. 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.
2. The cyclical process of natural growth and development of plants and animals determined the seasonality of agricultural labor.
3. Unlike industry technological process in agriculture is closely connected with nature, where the land acts as the main means of production.

Experts note that 78% of the earth's surface has serious natural disadvantages for the development of agriculture, 13% of the area is characterized by low productivity, 6% is medium and only 3% is high.

Currently, about 11% of all land is processed, another 24% is used for pastures. Features 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.

1. cold belt occupies vast areas in the north of Eurasia and North America. The development of agriculture here is limited by lack of heat and permafrost. Crop production here is possible only under closed ground conditions. Reindeer husbandry is mainly developed on these unproductive pastures.
2. cool belt covers vast territories of Eurasia and North America, as well as a narrow strip in the south of the Andes in South America. Insignificant heat resources impose serious restrictions on the range of crops that can be grown here (early crops - brown bread, vegetables, some root crops, early potatoes). Agriculture has a focal character.
3. temperate zone in the southern hemisphere it is represented in Patagonia, on the coast of Chile, the islands of Tasmania and New Zealand, and in the northern hemisphere it occupies almost all of Europe (except for the southern peninsulas), southern Siberia and the Far East, Mongolia, Tibet, northeast China, south Canada, north - eastern states of the USA. This is the belt of mass farming. Arable land occupies almost all the territories suitable for the relief, its specific area reaches 60-70%. A wide range of cultivated crops is possible here: wheat, barley, rye, oats, flax, potatoes, vegetables, root crops, fodder grasses. The southern part of the belt is dominated by corn, sunflower, rice, grapes, fruit and fruit trees. The area of ​​pastures is limited; they dominate in the mountains and arid zones, where transhumance and camel breeding are developed.
4. warm belt corresponds to subtropical geographic zone it covers all continents except Antarctica, in particular: the Mediterranean, most of the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, southern Africa and Australia, southern China. Two crops are grown here a year: in winter - crops of the temperate zone (cereals, vegetables), in summer - tropical annuals (cotton) or perennials (olive tree, citrus fruits, tea, Walnut, figs, etc.). Low-productive pastures degrading from uncontrolled grazing dominate here.
5. hot belt occupies vast expanses of Africa, South America, northern and central Australia, the Malay Archipelago, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia. The coffee tree, date palm, sweet potato, cassava, etc. are grown. In the subarid zones there are huge pastures with poor vegetation.

Structure of agriculture

Agriculture is part of the agro-industrial complex and includes the following main sectors:

1. Plant growing. The industry is divided into sub-sectors according to the type of plants grown:
   • cereals etc.)
   • legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.);
   • fodder crops (annual and perennial grasses, silage crops, fodder root crops, fodder melons and gourds);
   • industrial crops: a) food crops (sugar cane, sugar beet, starch-containing crops, medicinal plants), b) textile crops (cotton, flax, jute, hemp), c) rubber plants (hevea);
   • vegetable and melon crops: a) potatoes, b) leafy crops (cabbage, lettuce, spinach, dill, leaf parsley, etc.). in) fruit crops(tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, squash, eggplant, pepper) d) bulb crops (onion and garlic); e) root crops (carrots, etc.) f) gourds (watermelon, melon, pumpkin, etc.)
   • citrus etc.)
   • tonic crops (narcotic crops, tea, coffee, cocoa);
   • oil and essential oil crops: a) oil crops (sunflower, castor oil, mustard, rapeseed, sesame, red (plant), hemp, flax, coconut palm, oil palm, olive tree), b) essential oil crops (coriander, anise, cumin and etc.)
   • viticulture;
   • gardening;
   • mushroom growing.
2. animal husbandry
   • animal husbandry (cattle breeding);
   • sheep breeding;
   • goat breeding;
   • horse breeding;
   • beekeeping;
   • jmilnitstvo;
   • fur farming;
   • mariculture
   • reindeer herding;
   • poultry farming;
   • camel breeding;
   • sericulture;
   • pig breeding;
   • fish farming;
   • rabbit breeding;
3. Fishing.

Environmental problems of agriculture

Elevator in the USA

Agriculture has a greater influence on natural environment than any other branch of the national economy. The reason for this is that agriculture requires huge areas. As a result, the landscapes of entire continents are changing, for example, the agrolandscape completely changed the Great Chinese Plain, where subtropical forest once grew, passing in the north into the Ussuriysk taiga, and in the south into the jungles of Indochina. In Europe, the agricultural landscape has replaced broad-leaved forests; in Ukraine, arable land has replaced steppes.

Agricultural landscapes turned out to be unstable, which led to a number of local and regional environmental disasters. Thus, improper melioration caused soil salinization and the loss of most of the cultivated land in Mesopotamia, widespread plowing caused dust storms in Kazakhstan and the United States, grazing and agriculture led to desertification in the Sahel zone in Africa.

Agriculture has the greatest impact on the natural environment. Its influence factors are as follows:

• reduction of natural vegetation to farmland;
• processing (pubescence) of the soil, especially with the use of a moldboard plow;
• the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides;
• land reclamation.

And Big influence on soil leads to:

• destruction of soil ecosystems;
• loss of humus;
• destruction of the structure and compaction of the soil;
• water and wind erosion of soils;

There are certain farming methods and technologies that mitigate or completely eliminate negative factors, for example, precision farming technologies.

Animal husbandry affects nature less. Its influence is:

• overgrazing - that is, livestock grazing 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 of surface waters (rivers, lakes, seas) and degradation of aquatic ecosystems during eutrophication;
• groundwater pollution;
• deforestation and degradation of forest ecosystems (deforestation);
• violation water regime in large areas (with drainage or irrigation);
• desertification as a result of a complex violation of the structure of soils and vegetation;
• destruction of natural habitats of many species of living organisms and, as a result, extinction and disappearance of rare species.

In the second half of the 20th century, another problem became relevant: a decrease in the content of vitamins and microelements in crop production and accumulation in both crop and livestock 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 intensification of production, especially in animal husbandry.

Introduction 3

1. Composition, importance, features of the location of the agricultural industry 4

2. Main crop and livestock areas 9

2.1. Identification of the industry development dynamics for 2000-2006. fourteen

2.2. Problems and development prospects 15

Conclusion 21

References 22

Introduction

Agriculture is an industry that belongs to the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation (AIC). The agro-industrial complex includes industries with close economic and production relationships, specializing in the production of agricultural products, their processing and storage, as well as providing agriculture and the processing industry with the means of production.

Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the national economic complex, since it is its products that are an indispensable source of food for the world's population. Just as great is the role of agriculture in the cultivation of raw materials for the industries of light, textile and Food Industry.

During the formation of market relations, agriculture fell into decline, as evidenced by the volume of imported agricultural products from other countries. Also during this period, there was a change in the owners of the land: the land from the state turned into private peasant and horticultural plots. Along with the change of land owners, changes occurred in the financing of agricultural enterprises. Tax incentives and subsidies coming from the budget are small and did not cover the losses of agricultural enterprises until 2000-2001. With the adoption of new laws and programs for the development of agriculture, there have been noticeable improvements, agriculture began to revive and changes for the better have been outlined.

The relevance of this topic today is great, since the well-being of the country depends on the production indicators of this particular industry. Thus, maintaining the reforms that are being carried out at this point in time is very necessary for the development of the industry and the economy as a whole.

Chapter 1. Characteristics and importance of the agricultural sector in the country's economy

1.1. The composition and importance and features of the agricultural sector in the NHC of the country

The agro-industrial complex is a set of economically interconnected industries specializing in the production of agricultural products, their industrial processing, storage and sale, as well as industries that provide agriculture and the processing industry with means of production and agriculture with production services.

During the years of the crisis, the first sphere of the agro-industrial complex, which provides agriculture with the means of production and production services, was in complete decline, most enterprises stopped their activities. The output of tractors decreased by 12.5 times, grain harvesters - by 24 times, plows - by 68 times. The level of use of the capacities of agricultural engineering is 8-12%. The availability of harvesters per unit of cultivated area in Russia is 4-5 times less than in European countries. Depreciation of fixed assets is 70%. If the situation does not change in the coming years, then only 30% of the land will be cultivated by machines. Now, due to a shortage of fertilizers, 30 million tons of agricultural products are lost annually. prices do not allow agricultural enterprises to purchase equipment, fertilizers.During the years of the crisis, prices for industrial products increased by 9.4 thousand times, and for agricultural products - by 1.7 thousand times. when buying fertilizers, agricultural enterprises are currently unable to purchase them.

Agricultural production is the central link in the country's agro-industrial complex. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any state. It provides products vital to man: basic foodstuffs and raw materials for the production of consumer goods. The main forms of management in this area of ​​the economy are: agricultural production cooperatives (SPK), joint-stock companies (JSC), limited liability companies (LLC), farms.

Agriculture is a special sphere of the economy, radically different from all other spheres, since the main means of production in agriculture is land. With rational use, the land not only does not lose its main and most valuable quality - fertility, but can even increase it, while all other means of production gradually become obsolete morally and physically, are replaced by others. Land is both a means of production and an object of labor. Plants and animals also act as means of production. Another important feature of agricultural production is seasonality, which causes uneven production, use work force, consumption and use of material and financial resources during a year. Agriculture, unlike other areas, is very dependent on natural factors. They influence the location of agricultural production, its sectoral structure, determine territorial differences and instability of production volumes over the years. Agricultural crops have significant differences in the duration of the growing season, in required quantity heat, light, moisture, impose their own requirements on the quality of soils. This also determines the peculiarities of their placement not only in regions, but also within individual farms. Natural factors through the fodder base also affect the distribution of livestock. The development of science and technology makes it possible to weaken the influence of natural conditions, but up to certain limits [.

The most important natural factors of location and specialization of agriculture are:

 soil quality,

 the duration of the frost-free period,

 sum of active temperatures (heat supply);

 total solar radiation (light supply);

 Moisture conditions, amount of precipitation;

 probability of repeatability of unfavorable meteorological conditions (drought, frost, wind and water erosion);

 security water resources;

 topographic conditions of the area, etc. .

To a greater extent, natural factors influence the location of crop production branches, and to an unequal degree, determining the areas of crop cultivation. For a number of crops (mainly thermophilic), these areas are extremely limited, for example, grapes, tea, citrus fruits, etc. For others, they are much wider (barley, spring wheat, potatoes, etc.). Natural factors have a less significant impact on the distribution of animal husbandry, manifesting themselves through the fodder base. Most dependent on natural and climatic conditions is pastoral animal husbandry (some areas of sheep breeding, cattle breeding; reindeer breeding, horse breeding, etc.). Here you can highlight such factors as the presence of pastures, their size, the composition of vegetation and the duration of the period of their use.

Socio-demographic factors are also extremely important for the location of agriculture. The population is the main consumer of agricultural products; there are regional features of the structure of consumption of this product. The specialization of agriculture is influenced by the ratio between the urban and rural population. In addition, the population ensures the reproduction of labor resources for the industry. Depending on the availability labor resources(taking into account the labor skills of the population) one or another production of agricultural products is developing, characterized by unequal labor intensity. The most labor-intensive are the production of vegetables, potatoes, sugar beet and other industrial crops, and some branches of animal husbandry. The use of specialized qualified personnel contributes to the growth of labor productivity, reducing labor costs for the production of this product. Increased population migration in a number of regions currently limits the production of labor-intensive products. An important factor in placement and specialization are also the interests local population which have not been taken into account in the past. In a number of cases, they significantly limit the possibility of producing for export many types of products, which were previously determined by the planned volumes of deliveries to the all-Union fund.

The most significant economic factors of location and specialization of agriculture include the location of farms in relation to the consumer, the provision of production and transport infrastructure, the existing production potential, the achieved level of economic efficiency, the availability of means of production, the transportability of products , development of interregional ties, the level of scientific and technological progress.

The main branches of agriculture are represented by crop and livestock production, in which sub-sectors are distinguished: grain farming, fodder production, production of technical crops (flax growing, beet growing, etc.), horticulture, vegetable growing, cattle breeding, pig breeding, sheep breeding, poultry farming , rabbit breeding, pond fish farming, fur farming, beekeeping, etc. .

Crop production produces 52% of all agricultural products in Russia. This industry can be considered the basis of agriculture, since the level of animal husbandry largely depends on its development.

Grain farming occupies a leading place in crop production. More than half of the arable land is occupied by grain, it accounts for more than a third of the value of the gross output of crop production and almost a third of all feed in animal husbandry. The industry also has a huge social significance, since bakery products make up 40% of the daily requirement of the human diet for food. Grain is the main source of income for the bulk of rural commodity producers. The industry forms a significant part of the country's budget.

Animal husbandry is one of the main branches of agricultural production: it provides 48% of gross output, accumulates 75% of the main production assets and 70% of labor resources in agriculture. The importance of animal husbandry is also determined by the fact that it produces the most necessary and biologically valuable products in the human diet.

Effective production of livestock products is impossible without the creation of a strong forage base. The food base is the production, storage and consumption of feed for all types of animals and birds. It depends on natural conditions and, as a result, has an impact on the specialization of animal husbandry (raising one or another type of livestock), on the location of its individual branches. For example, the breeding of beef cattle and sheep breeding are developing and located where there are significant hay and pasture lands, while pig breeding and poultry farming are oriented towards the agricultural fodder base. The duration and possibility of grazing and stall keeping of animals, the choice of a rational structure of the herd, its livestock, the technology of growing and fattening livestock, which ultimately affects the efficiency of production and its expediency, also depend on natural conditions and on the forage base. The importance of the feed base is also determined by the fact that the share of feed in the cost of livestock products in Russia is 60-80%, depending on the type and area of ​​production.

The problem of feed in Russian agriculture is one of the most acute. The low productivity of animal husbandry is directly related to the low level of animal nutrition (for example, in terms of calories per year, it is only 57-61% of the level in the United States). Most of the fodder is provided by field fodder production. Under fodder crops, 38% of arable land is occupied, and 3/4 of the collection of fodder from all fodder areas is provided by this source. Also, 2/3 of the gross grain harvest is used for fodder purposes. Hayfields and pastures are an important source of fodder, the areas under fodder crops are constantly growing, however, their structure needs to be improved, since the share of grain and leguminous crops is insufficient. The productivity of natural hayfields and pastures, which provide cheap and necessary rough and green fodder, is very low in Russia, which is associated with the unsatisfactory cultural and technical state of natural lands, the extensive system of grassland management in the country. Large areas are in need of reclamation works.

1.2. The main areas of crop and livestock production

The main grain crop in Russia is wheat, winter and spring. Winter wheat is a more productive crop compared to spring wheat, but it is more demanding on soils, it is a heat-loving crop. The main areas of its production are the Northern Caucasus and the Central Black Earth Region. Spring wheat crops are concentrated in the Volga region, in the Southern Urals, in Siberia, in the Non-Black Earth region [ .

A less capricious crop is rye, therefore its crops are located mainly in the regions of the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia. The sown areas of rye are constantly decreasing.

Barley can be grown almost everywhere, it withstands temperature extremes during the growing season, drought-resistant. The main production regions are the North Caucasus, the Central Chernozem Region and the Volga Region, barley is also grown in the Urals and Siberia.

Oats - moisture-loving, but not demanding on soil culture, is grown in the forest zone: in the Volga-Vyatka region, in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia. Barley and oats are used for fodder purposes and in the food industry.

Corn is a heat-loving plant, it is grown for grain in the southern regions of the country: in the North Caucasus and in the Central Chernozem region, the Lower Volga region.

The main cereal crops: millet, buckwheat, rice. Millet is grown mainly in the steppe zone: in the Central Chernozem region, the Volga region, in the North Caucasus, the Urals. Buckwheat makes high demands on the conditions of moisture, does not tolerate elevated temperature air. Main production areas: Central Chernozem region, Ural. Rice is grown in Russia in the North Caucasus, in the lower reaches of the Volga and in the Primorsky Territory (Far East) on irrigated lands.

Legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.) are of great importance both as food crops and for fodder purposes, covering the needs of animals for protein.

Oilseeds in Russia are the main source of food and technical vegetable oils. The main oil crop is sunflower. It is cultivated for grain in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, and the Central Black Earth region. Of the other oilseeds, soy flax, mustard, and castor beans are of the greatest importance. Hemp is an important spice and oilseed at the same time. The main part of hemp is produced in the North Caucasus and the Non-Black Earth region.

The leading industrial crop in Russia is fiber flax. It is cultivated in the central, northern, northwestern economic regions of the European part of the country.

Sugar beet is used in Russia for the production of sugar, the tops and waste from its processing are valuable feed for livestock. The main beet-growing regions are the Central Chernozems and the North Caucasus.

Potatoes are grown almost everywhere in the country, but potato growing is a commodity industry in the Center, the Volgo-Vyatka region. Central Black Earth and Western Siberia The main crops of vegetables are in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, in the Central Black Earth and some other regions. Fruits and berries are grown in the southern regions.

The leading branch of animal husbandry is cattle breeding. From January 1, 2006, the number of cattle in Russia amounted to 27.2 million heads, including 12.7 million heads of cows. 37.4% of livestock accounts for households. Large livestock have the Middle and Southern Urals, the Volga region, Western Siberia and North Caucasus/

Dairy and dairy and meat cattle breeding is located mainly in suburban areas, taking into account the proximity to the consumer and the availability of labor resources, since this industry is very labor intensive. For the development of dairy cattle breeding, a large amount of succulent fodder is needed, the main part of which is provided by field fodder production, as well as pastures normally moistened in summer, which contributes to the growth of milk productivity. Traditionally, dairy cattle breeding gravitates towards areas of intensive agriculture. The main areas of dairy and dairy-meat cattle breeding: forest (Non-Black Earth), forest-steppe and steppe regions (Middle Volga, Middle Urals, Siberia).

Meat and meat and dairy cattle breeding of a predominantly extensive type is developed in arid steppe, semi-desert regions: in the Lower Volga region, in the North Caucasus, the South Urals, and in southern Siberia. Here, on natural fodder lands, with minimal labor costs, you can get the cheapest beef. The development of beef cattle breeding of an intensive type is typical for areas of developed agriculture and suburban economy. Animal fattening is carried out on the products of field fodder production, waste processing of industrial crops using industrial technologies at large livestock complexes. Beef cattle breeding of this type stands out in the North Caucasus, Siberia.

Sheep and goat breeding provide valuable types of products, and also contribute to an increase in the use of farmland, as they use pastures unsuitable for other types of livestock, keeping sheep is cheaper than other animals. The number of sheep in Russia totals 14.4 million heads. The population's households account for 63.3%. The main part of the livestock is concentrated in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, Eastern Siberia and the Urals. Directions of sheep breeding, depending on the forage base: fine fleece (steppes of the North Caucasus, Lower Volga region, Siberia), semi-fine fleece (Centre, Middle Volga region), fur coat (north and north-west of the Non-Black Earth Region).

Goat breeding is of commercial importance in the southeast of the European part of the country and in the mountain-steppe regions of Siberia.

The most productive branch of animal husbandry is pig breeding. The number of pigs in Russia is 16.4 million heads. Pig breeding is practiced in all economic regions of the country, but it has received the greatest development in the areas of grain farming and potato growing: in the North Caucasus, the Volga region, and the Central Black Earth region. Pig farming is developing intensively in suburban areas, it makes extensive use of waste from the food industry and catering.

Poultry farming is one of the fastest-growing branches of animal husbandry, it is located everywhere, but it is mainly concentrated in the southern regions of a large grain farm. Livestock breeding also includes industries: horse breeding, deer breeding, reindeer breeding, rabbit breeding, sericulture, beekeeping, etc. In the future, it is necessary to increase the production of livestock products by deepening specialization, transferring its industries to an intensive path of development.

In the modern territorial structure of agricultural production, the Central, Volga, Southern and Siberian federal districts stand out. In accordance with the forecast for the development of agriculture in the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District, production growth will be ensured primarily at the expense of the Moscow, Tula and Belgorod regions, in the Volga region - at the expense of the Republic of Mari El and the Kirov region. A special place is occupied by the Republic of Tatarstan, where the regional program "Development of the Agroindustrial Complex of Tatarstan for 2000-2010" is being successfully implemented. In the Samara and Saratov regions, a significant increase in production is also predicted due to a 2-fold increase in productivity. The leading place in the country in agricultural production is occupied by Krasnodar region followed by the Rostov region. High growth rates are also expected in the Stavropol Territory. In the Volga Federal District, the most powerful area of ​​agricultural production is the Republic of Bashkortostan, similar indicators are in the Orenburg Region. In Siberia, the largest area of ​​agricultural production is Altai region. In the Far East, the main volumes of agricultural production fall on the Khabarovsk Territory and the Amur Region.

Chapter 2. Analysis of industry performance. Problems and development prospects for the future

2.1. Identification of the industry development dynamics for 2000-2006.

During the years of the crisis in agriculture, more than 30 million hectares of agricultural land were withdrawn from circulation, crops decreased by 17.5 million hectares, and the area of ​​irrigated and drained lands decreased by 1.5 million hectares. Grain production has decreased to the level of the 1950s. In animal husbandry, meat production decreased by 2 times. The number of cattle decreased by 28.4 million heads, dropped to the level of 1949, pigs - by 22 million heads, sheep and goats - by 42 million heads. Milk yield per cow is 2233 liters per year, although in economically developed countries in leading farms one cow produces up to 12,000 liters of milk per year. Capital investment in agriculture in 2000 compared with 1990 was reduced by almost 25 times.

AT given time, in 2006 Russia's agriculture is characterized by large scale production. The volume of agricultural production in 2006 amounted to 844.9 million rubles.

Russia ranks 2nd in the world in the production of potatoes and milk, 6th in meat production, 7th in grain crops.

In 2000, the gross harvest of grain amounted to 63.4 million tons (in weight after processing), sugar beet - 14 million tons, sunflower - 3.9 million tons, potatoes - 33.7 million tons, vegetables - 12 .3 million tons. Sown areas - 88,329 thousand hectares, including under grain - 46,555 thousand hectares, under industrial crops - 7,505 thousand hectares. The production of livestock and poultry for slaughter (in live weight) amounted to 7 million tons, milk 31.9 million tons, eggs 33.9 billion. In animal husbandry, 108.2 million tons of feed were consumed, including 39.1 million tons of concentrated feed.

Meat production increased by 5% in 2006 compared to the previous year. The egg production of laying hens has increased to 302 eggs per year. The average milk yield per cow was 3574 kg, which is 282 kg more than in 2005.

In Russia, the level of productivity of agricultural crops is very low: in 2000, the yield of cereals was 15.6 centners per 1 ha, sugar beet - 18.8, sunflower - 9.0, potatoes - 104, vegetables - 145 centners per 1 ha . This is 2-3 times lower than in developed countries, even with close natural and climatic conditions. In terms of labor productivity in agriculture, our country is 3-4 times behind the developed countries.

In 2006, the gross grain harvest amounted to 78.6 million tons, the yield was 18.9 centners per 1 hectare of harvested area. The main producers of grain are agricultural enterprises, they produce over 90% of all grain.

2.2. Problems and prospects for the development of this industry

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation has prepared the program "Grain" for the period 2001-2005. and until 2010 the main objective programs - to ensure sustainable production and development of the grain market. Based on the introduction of new production systems, including latest technology production of grain, fertilizers, means of protection, equipment, it is expected to increase the gross harvest to 90-92 million tons by 2007, and up to 120-140 million tons by 2010. New production systems, according to forecast data, may ensure the growth of grain yields up to 20-24 centners per 1 hectare on average in the country. To achieve these results, it is necessary to improve the taxation system. The industry must annually accumulate at least 20 billion rubles for modernization.

State regulation should be aimed at legalizing the grain market, licensing the activities of elevators, creating a system of grain exchanges, providing modern infrastructure for the production and marketing of grain, regulating seasonal price fluctuations, and improving the turnover and accounting of land resources. The program provides financing from extrabudgetary sources on the terms of short-term and long-term lending and budgetary funds for the re-equipment of basic farms in the main grain-producing regions. In 2007, the number of such farms is planned to be increased to 70. With the successful implementation of the program, Russia will be able to ensure not only food independence, but also enter the foreign market.

Acquired special urgency social problems villages: in all respects, the standard of living in the countryside is significantly inferior to that in the city. The provision with institutions of culture, health care, public education, and specialists in these areas is low. The diet of the rural dweller is more meager and less balanced. Wages are much lower and prices are higher, and so on. All this leads to the migration of the population from the village to the city, and the population of young ages is leaving, the process of population aging and the extinction of the Russian village is underway.

The natural resource potential of Russia makes it possible to produce here almost all the main types of agricultural products, only some of them are limited by natural conditions (heat-loving fruits and vegetables, etc.). Nevertheless, our country is one of the main food importing countries. The main reasons are inefficient production, large losses and poor product quality.

Russia is relatively well provided with agricultural land, but their size is constantly decreasing, which is associated with the withdrawal of land for industrial, transport, housing and communal construction, and in last years and with loss of agricultural production. The size of the area of ​​farmland and arable land per capita is also gradually decreasing. Therefore, the main direction further development agriculture - its all-round intensification. Intensification means an increase in material and labor costs per unit of land area in order to increase the yield of agricultural products per hectare, improve its quality, increase labor productivity, and reduce the cost of a unit of production. It is the most effective way to develop production. The main directions of intensification are complex mechanization, chemicalization of agriculture, land reclamation, increasing the power supply of labor in agriculture, improving the production technologies used, intensification is carried out on the basis of deepening the specialization of agricultural production, further development of agro-industrial integration.

It is recognized by science and practice that institutional transformations in the agrarian sector of the country resulted in the creation of a multi-structural economy as a system of agricultural enterprises and organizations, peasant (farm) and personal subsidiary plots of the population, their associations with various forms of ownership. At the same time, the formation and development of a variety of forms of ownership and management did not become a stimulating factor in increasing the efficiency of production and competitiveness in agriculture.

The situation with fodder is complicated by the fact that up to 30% of harvested fodder loses its nutritional value due to violations in the technology of harvesting and storage, not to mention physical losses. Due to the lack of quantity and improper feeding technology, a significant part of the feed is spent not on obtaining products, but on maintaining the life of animals, which negatively affects production efficiency and increases the feed intensity of products. According to this indicator, we have no analogues among developed countries, although we constantly experience a large shortage of feed.

The main direction in solving the problem of fodder is the intensification of fodder production, which includes measures to improve the structure of forage areas, increase the yield of fodder crops, the productivity of hayfields and pastures, melioration and chemicalization of the fodder base, improve the seed production of fodder crops, and strengthen the material and technical base of the production, the introduction of new forms of labor organization, etc. .

Methods and means of forming a multi-structural economy, such as de-state ownership of land, reform, disaggregation of collective farms and state farms, ignoring the national experience in the functioning of large-scale enterprises, priority development of small forms of farming, led to a sharp decline in agricultural production , the destruction of the system of production relations, cooperative and integration ties. Thus, during the period of reforms, the collapse in agricultural production is comparable to the losses during the years of the Great Patriotic War(i.e., 2 times), and food imports in 2006 amounted to more than 40% of its consumption, with a food security threshold of 25%. The boundaries of poverty in rural areas have expanded several times, as the destruction of agricultural enterprises has led to the loss of jobs, a sharp increase in unemployment (almost 11%) and a decrease in wages (39% of the average wage in the country) .

At the same time, the authorities state that economic growth in agriculture has been going on for 8 years in a row, and for the period from 1999 to 2006, the volume of gross agricultural output increased by 34.4%. However, these are biased, illusory data, if we conduct a comparative analysis from 1999, and not from 1990, since such growth is several times lower than the growth rate of gross agricultural output at the beginning of the agrarian reform. At the same time, since 2002, there has been a trend towards a decrease in the rate of development of agriculture, their lagging behind the rate of growth of the economy as a whole. If in 1999-2002. the average annual growth rate in agriculture was 6.4%, then in 2002-2006. - only 2%. This trend is also evidenced by the economic indicators of 2006, which confirm that the emerging improvement does not contribute to a fundamental change in the agricultural sector. Despite some growth in gross agricultural output over the past two or three years, its volume in comparable prices in 2006 was about 75% compared to 1990 (only 53.3% in animal husbandry and slightly higher in crop production).

Retrospective analysis of agricultural production in the country for 1990-2006. shows that over the past three years, grain production has remained at the level of 78 million tons, although this is more than in 1995 and 2000, but 20% lower than in 1990 (in 2007, about 75 million tons are expected). t). The growth of the combination of forms of management in the conditions of a diversified economy and market relations, which should be carried out through their effective interaction, and not on the principles of opposition, has practically slowed down. During the transitional economy, it is necessary to take into account the specific features of all forms of management, while maintaining the state, while considering their ability to conduct efficient production.

To develop ways to improve the management of forms of economy, we will analyze the results of their reform, determine their place and role in the agricultural sector of the economy. First of all, let us consider the dynamics of the development of forms of management. According to the State Statistics Committee of the RSFSR, as of January 1, 1991, there were 29,385 agricultural enterprises in the country, including 12,790 collective farms, 13,048 state farms, 1,498 inter-farm agricultural enterprises, as well as fishing collective farms and subsidiary plots of non-agricultural enterprises, and only in rural areas. localities - more than 14 million personal subsidiary plots. For the first time, 21 thousand peasant (farmer) households were formed.

In the course of reforms in the agricultural sector, the previously existing forms of management were reorganized, taking into account the development various forms property. It is believed that the reorganization of agricultural enterprises was completed by 1997 and a diversified economy has developed, more than 31 thousand new forms of management have been created. A structure of agricultural enterprises has developed, in which almost 46% is occupied by agricultural cooperatives. Basically, the number of closed and open joint-stock companies stabilized (16% in total); state-owned enterprises make up 4%, collective farms - 5%, partnerships (companies) with limited liability - 20.5%. Faith partnerships (limited partnerships), associations of peasant (farmer) households are developing poorly.

Within the framework of the State support for the agro-industrial complex adopted in 2007 for the development of the social and engineering infrastructure of the village from 2008 to 2012. it is planned to allocate state support funds in the amount of 107.6 billion rubles. to support integrated compact development and improvement of rural settlements within the framework of pilot projects - 112.4 billion rubles. The implementation of projects will increase the level of comfort and attractiveness of living in rural areas, ensure the growth of investment activity in the socio-economic development of rural areas. The priority issue in this case is employment and increasing the incomes of rural residents.

The main task of the transformation of rural areas is to satisfy basic human needs, form stable economic foundations for local self-government, and make the development of the socio-economic potential of the village sustainable and irreversible.

Conclusion

In our country, which has embarked on the path of reform, the time has come for a real reform of agriculture. Thanks to the new laws, it is possible, although with great effort and investment, to bring the industry out of the insolvent ones. There are noticeable improvements in this sector in terms of indicators for 2002-2006. This is manifested in a decrease in the amount of livestock and crop products imported from abroad. Also, the policy of protectionism allowed entrepreneurs to sell Russian products, and subsidies from the budget and assistance to the main producers of agricultural products played a role in a more independent state of consumers from foreign products. Thus, it was possible to significantly improve the quality of products with a slight increase in prices for it. The opening of branded sales points for products also had a favorable effect on the development of the industry.

According to economists' forecasts, if the industry also develops at the same pace, then by 2015 the industry will become competitive in foreign markets.

Bibliography

1. Federal Law No. 53-FZ of December 2, 1994 (as amended on February 2, 2006) “On Procurement and Supply of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food for State Needs”

2. Federal Law of 07.07.2003 No. 112-FZ “On personal subsidiary plots”.

3. Federal Law No. 4-FZ of January 10, 1996 (as amended on June 26, 2007) “On Land Reclamation”

4. Federal Law No. 123-FZ of August 3, 1995 (as amended on June 26, 2007) “On livestock breeding”

5. Federal Law No. 264-FZ of December 29, 2006 “On the Development of Agriculture”

6. Federal Law of July 21, 2005 No. 108-FZ “On the All-Russian Agricultural Census”.

7. Federal Law No. 238-FZ of December 19, 2006 (as amended on June 7, 2007) “On the Federal Budget for 2007”.

8. Gladkiy Yu.N., Dobroskok V.A., Semenov S.P. Economic geography of Russia. – M.: Gardarika. - 2003. - 752 p.

9. Regional economy / Ed. Morozova T.G. M.: 2004. - Unity. - 2004. - 446 p.

10. Toropov D. Strategy for the development of rural areas //Economist. - 2007. - No. 10. - p. 77-81

11. Ushachev I. Agriculture: Priority-target principle of development // The Economist. - 2007. - No. 9. - p. 18-25.

12. Chezhegov E. Technological revolution in the agro-industrial complex - a strategic alternative for Russia // Izvestia. - 22.04.2003. - With. 9-11.

14. Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Russian Federation. Project to support the implementation of reforms in agriculture. Data for

Agriculture is a way of life for most of the population. Its main function is food production. Since not a single person can live without food, this industry is developing very successfully, thanks to which it is the basis of the agricultural region.

A significant part of agricultural production passes to consumers after being subjected to industrial processing. Agriculture is a source of raw materials, both for food and for. The agrarian region is also developing due to the fact that new areas of consumption of agricultural products are emerging. This is especially true for those products that are rich in carbohydrates. With its help, ethanol is produced, which is associated with an increase in the octane number of gasoline.

Modern agriculture is widely interconnected with other industrial sectors, so it can be said with confidence that the agrarian area is based on successful farming.

Features of the development of agriculture

The success of the development of agriculture largely depends on scientific and technological progress. The process of industrialization of agriculture includes several stages, each of which is based on new technologies that not only facilitate the work of people, but also increase production.

A great impact on the entire agrarian region, as well as on agriculture, has natural factor, which includes land resources, soil fertility and agroclimatic resources. Natural conditions form not only agricultural areas, but also the main trade flows of goods.

Types of agricultural production

There are two main types of agricultural production that determine the prosperity of the agricultural region. The first type is typical for developing countries. It has a variety of economic structures. Both subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, which is focused on meeting the needs of the population, has become widespread in such countries. However, a highly specialized market economy is also developing, the goods of which enter the world markets.

The second type is typical for economically developed countries. It is based on a high level of intensification of production, its chemicalization and mechanization, as well as on the use of modern technologies of cattle breeding and agriculture. Thus, it can be concluded that the agrarian region provides a decent standard of living for the population in all countries in various ways, which are based on the successful management of agriculture.

is one of the branches of the world economy. It can be called the most important, since it is it that must meet the needs of the population in food products, and food and beverage enterprises light industry in raw materials.

Although economic conditions are also important for the agricultural sector, nevertheless, climatic and natural conditions, including the availability of sufficient water, are decisive. In fact, this is the only industry focused on such factors.

Of the important economic factors in the development of agriculture are market prices, products, as well as state assistance in the form of subsidies, loans and regulation of production in order to avoid a glut of some products and a lack of others.

Structure of agriculture

Main industries:

• animal husbandry, which, in turn, is divided into more specialized, the largest of them are cattle breeding, pig breeding and sheep breeding;
• directions in cattle breeding: dairy, meat and dairy and meat;

Crop production is also divided into narrower areas:

• grain growing;
• culture of the technical direction;
• fodder crops;
• growing vegetables (vegetables).

If we talk about the world economy, then countries specialize in breeding cattle Overseas Asia and Latin America. Dairy cattle breeding is more typical for European and North American with a high population density. The meat and dairy direction in cattle breeding is mainly carried out in the forest-steppe and forest zones. The meat direction is common in arid regions located in the temperate and subtropical zones. Cattle breeding is very developed in India, Argentina, Brazil, USA, China, Russia.

Pig breeding accounts for a significant share of the world's agricultural livestock production. It is focused on densely populated areas, large cities and is developed in areas where potatoes are grown.

As for sheep breeding, these unpretentious animals are bred in areas with huge pastures. Most of them are in Australia, China, Russia, New Zealand, India, Turkey and Kazakhstan.

Crop production is closely related to climate humidity. It is practiced in all countries and in all zones. There is no crop production only in the permafrost zone (tundra, arctic deserts) and in the highlands. This industry has a very complex composition, since there are many more types of cultivated plants than animals.

One of the most important areas in crop production is grain. Grain crops include: wheat, barley, buckwheat, rye, oats, corn, rice. The largest share in the cultivation of cereals is wheat, corn and rice (4/5). And the leaders in the cultivation and export of these crops are:

• USA, China, Russia, France, Canada, Ukraine - for wheat;
• China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh - for rice;
• USA, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina - for corn.

The share of agriculture in the structure of the economy of each country shows the level and structure of its development. The decisive indicator in this case is the part of the population employed in agriculture and its share in the value of the gross product (GDP). So, for developing countries, it is typical that more than half of the population is employed in agriculture, and the increase in the volume of products obtained is due to an increase in the area for sowing, livestock and the number of workers. This is an extensive path. At the same time, the use of mechanization, chemicalization and melioration remain at a low level.

The developed European and North American countries, called post-industrial ones, are characterized by an intensive path of agricultural development, when productivity increases on the same sown areas thanks to a scientific approach and application latest technology and technologies, various fertilizers. The latest methods are the introduction of genetic engineering, electronics and robotics.

There is another category of countries that are called industrial. Although advanced technologies and equipment are used in them, the level of agriculture has not yet reached a high level of intensification. The share of the population employed in the agricultural sectors remains significant in them.

A characteristic feature of agrarian countries is the problem of food shortages, while in developed countries there is an overproduction. The number of people employed in agriculture amounted to 1.1 billion. working population worldwide. This is a branch of the economy that can be defined as vital and determining the standard of living of the country's population.

Directions in the development of the global agricultural economy

Before identifying the main development trends, let us dwell on the existing problems of world agriculture.

First, it concerns the development of agriculture in developing countries. It is based on breeding work with a scientific approach, which includes breeding varieties high yield for each defined zone. At the same time, fertilizers were used more, irrigated areas increased, the use of mechanization increased, and workers began to rise. As a result - the growth of agricultural production. These are all features of the Green Revolution. But, unfortunately, the share of developing countries involved in it is not so great.

The determining reason for the lag in development is the level of agrarian relations in backward countries. They are often at the stage of feudal and semi-feudal, as well as communal land ownership and tribal relations. Often underdevelopment is a legacy of the colonial past of developing countries and the consumer attitude of the population.

As a result of this unproductive way of farming, these countries cannot meet the food needs of the population, and the proportion of the population that goes hungry is very high because of this. Although the trends of our time are such that there are fewer hungry people, this figure still reaches 1 billion people. Of these, about 20 million die from malnutrition. Such is the sad statistics of developing countries.

In addition to the fact that food is not enough in quantity, it also does not match in quality, does not contain enough calories, fats and proteins, which affects health and reduces the working capacity of the population.

Most of these countries are located in South and East Asia and Africa. Humanitarian aid is actively sent here from the United States, as well as from some EU countries. Along with the increase in agricultural production in the world and achievements in this area, there are many difficulties and contradictions in its further development.

One of the most important issues of the economy is the search for an optimal solution to the food problem. At the same time, it is absolutely impossible to allow a spontaneous correlation between production and consumption, as well as in the further redistribution of food. To do this, it is necessary to develop certain development strategies.

Directions for the development of agriculture

Improving the efficiency of land use by expanding the land fund for agricultural use. But there are many problems associated with geography, landscape and population of the territories.

Increasing the efficiency of agricultural production itself. That is, the path of intensive development of agriculture.

Increasing social opportunities by expanding them. Without this direction, the implementation of the second point is simply impossible, or it will be very limited. This direction implies that agrarian reforms will be carried out in backward countries, taking into account the specifics of each country.

Trends in the development of the Russian agricultural economy

If we talk about the development of the Russian agricultural economy, then we can define three main goals in the long term:

• To increase the efficiency of the agrarian sector and food production, its economic growth;
• To raise not only the standard of living of the rural population, but also, in general, to improve the quality of life of people employed in agriculture and living in rural areas;
• Make food and the level of food supply more accessible to the population.

In achieving these goals, it is very important to take into account all possible contradictions, to correctly distribute the ratio of imports of agricultural raw materials and exports of our own agricultural products. It is very important to create the most favorable conditions for own production and sale of agricultural products, which will make agriculture more attractive for attracting qualified personnel to it.

In this, an important role is assigned precisely to state intervention and regulation of all economic processes, in the implementation of long-term programs for different regions countries.

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