Flour Export as a Factor of Sustainable Development of Rural Areas: Problems, Prospects

Abstract

The question of sustainable development of rural areas is needed in analysis of production capabilities of wheat or rye flour and orientation of producers to the foreign market. At that point, the study of the problems and main trends of the flour-grinding segment in the global space becomes actual. The research included an analysis of wheat and meslin export production, also products of their processing in the global market. A detailed study was carried out on the statistical data of the Russian Federation. As an example, we used the southern region of the country - the Stavropol Territory, which specializes in grain crops cultivation and its processing. The purpose of the scientific study is the assessment of opportunities for rural areas development. The study is based on the identification of factors that have a positive and negative impact on the export potential of flour products. It was founded that nowadays the Russian Federation occupies the 10th position among global suppliers of wheat and rye flour. The Stavropol Territory is one of the three leaders in the export of flour products and has a significant potential to increase. Despite the fact that Russia by itself concedes in export volume to Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, the positions of the Stavropol Territory in this segment are being strengthened. To maintain the positive trend, it is necessary to expand the exports geography in perspective areas (the countries of the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia), to improve the exports support and to harmonize tariff and non-tariff measures between countries. The results of the correlation-regression analysis showed that the price does not have a significant impact on the flour-grinding products export. Therefore, there is a background to increase the export deliveries with government support regardless of price and sustainable status of rural areas. The novelty of the results lies in assessing the influence of main factors on the volume of flour exports in the Stavropol Territory and characterizing the complex of problems existing in this context. New directions for the agricultural products supply to the foreign market are substantiated.