Trade of the EAEU Countries in Agricultural Products: Trends, Conflicts, Factors

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of domestic and foreign trade of the Eurasian economic Union (EAEU) of agri-food products; identification and assessment of current trends, growth factors and imbalances in the light of efforts to create a unified agricultural policy of the member States of the Union. It is determined that Russia's successful implementation of the priority project «Export of agricultural products» contributed to the increase in grain exports to third countries in spite of the limited effective demand within the EAEU. The largest contribution to exports within the five countries, especially in terms of livestock products, makes Belarus with a significant negative balance of its trade in agricultural products with countries outside the Union. The free trade agreement with Vietnam stimulates export from Russia with mainly wheat, which strengthens its position as a source of agricultural raw materials without shifting the focus to products of deep processing. The relevance of the article is due to the fact that agriculture is officially recognized as a strategic industry, and food security is an integral part of the national security of the country. It is of interest to study the formation of a single agricultural market within the EAEU and the realities of foreign trade with third countries.