DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUSSIAN AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN THE FOOD SECURITY CONTEXT

Abstract

The article examines the topical issues related to the problems of agricultural products import substitution in Russia under the sanctions, and as a result, food and economic safety ensuring. The importance of state support for agribusiness in terms of import substitution and the relevance of regulatory documents adopted by the RF Government aimed at strengthening Russia's participation in international cooperation in the field of agriculture and fishery as well as food safety are determined. The article analyzes the industries with the maximum potential of import substitution. It is noted that the critical points of import substitution in the production of food products are in the sphere of dairy industry and 10 % reduction of Russian agriculture meat imports can be made up through the development of poultry production, and probably pork production. As for beef, import substitution here requires an increase in the number of cattle, which has been declining in recent years. The potential of import substitution (resource, labor, property, financial and others) of a geographically separate formation (region) is considered in detail, the import substitution strategy based on the development of production in general, agricultural products quality and safety improvement, modern innovative technologies used in the agro-industrial complex enterprises are designated. The role of gradually developing import substitution process, which in the future will contribute to the growth of employment and, as a consequence, to the reduction of unemployment and improvement of living standards, growth in demand for agricultural products of domestic production, which in turn contributes to the conservation of foreign exchange earnings within the country and to the growth of foreign exchange reserves and improvement of the country's trade balance. The need for the transition from the import oriented development to import substitution phase in the Russian regions is grounded. The conclusion is made about the need for an integrated approach to the implementation of a coordinated program of activities aimed to protect domestic producers by substituting imported food products with domestic goods.