Agricultural What are the branches of agriculture? The impact of the agro-industrial complex on the natural environment

The role and structure of the agro-industrial complex in the economic system of the country

Agro-industrial complex(AIC) unites all sectors of the economy involved in the production of agricultural products, their processing and bringing to the consumer. The importance of the agro-industrial complex lies in providing the country with food and some other consumer goods.

The most common model of the agro-industrial complex usually includes three main areas.

First sphere includes industries that produce means of production for agriculture and industries that process agricultural raw materials: tractor and agricultural engineering, production of equipment for animal husbandry, food and light industry, production of mineral fertilizers, feed and microbiological industry, rural industrial construction.

Second sphere- agriculture proper (agriculture and animal husbandry).

Third sphere- a system of industries for the industrial processing and marketing of agricultural raw materials and food: food, light industry, procurement system, transportation, storage and sale of agricultural products.

The placement of the first and third links of the agro-industrial complex is largely determined by territorial organization agricultural production. Processing, warehousing and storage of agricultural products are largely consumer-oriented. The territorial concentration in suburban areas and highly urbanized areas of the production of potatoes, vegetables and other crop products is also due to the activation of households and farmers.

In the 1990s there was a redistribution of agricultural production between large enterprises (former collective farms and state farms), private households and farms. So, if in 1990 on large enterprises 74% of agricultural products were produced, then in 2007 - 44%, i.e. their share decreased almost twice. On the contrary, the share of personal subsidiary farms The population grew from 20% in 1990 to 49% in 2007. The remaining 7.5% of agricultural production in 2007 came from private farms.

In 2007, households produced almost 89% of potatoes, about 80% of vegetables, fruits and berries, almost half of meat and milk, and a quarter of eggs.

Agriculture

Agriculture - the most important sphere, which is a complex of industries (agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry, crafts) associated with the development (collection, extraction) of plant and animal resources.

Agriculture is the most important part of agro-industrial complex(AIC), which, in addition to farms directly related to the development of natural resources, includes manufacturing industries that produce means of production for agriculture (machines, fertilizers, etc.) and process agricultural raw materials into final consumer products. The ratio of these sectors of the agro-industrial complex in developed countries is 15, 35 and 50%, respectively. In most developing countries, the agro-industrial complex is in its infancy and the proportions of its sectors can be defined as 40:20:40, i.e., natural-climatic and living labor remain the dominant factors in agricultural production. Agro-industrial complex of developed countries- these are, as a rule, large commodity farms (plantations, farms, etc.), which use modern means of production to the maximum extent at all stages of economic activity - from the field to storage, processing and packaging of products ready for consumption. The intensity of agricultural enterprises in developed countries is determined by significant capital investments per unit area (in Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands - up to 10,000 dollars per hectare), as well as by the widespread use of the achievements of science (biology) and technology.

The development of agriculture depends on the solution of the problems of land ownership and the practiced forms of land use. Unlike other factors of production, land has a number of specific features - immovability as a factor of production, unpredictability (dependence on soil and climatic conditions), limited reserves for expanding agricultural use, productivity limits. Due to these features, the limited (inelastic) supply of land is one of the reasons for the peculiarities of land pricing. Differences in the quality of land lie at the basis of the formation of rental relations.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 78% of the earth's surface is experiencing serious natural limitations for the development of agriculture, 13% of the area is characterized by low productivity, 6% - medium and only 3% - high. Currently, about 11% of the total land area is occupied by arable land. Approximately 24% of all land on the planet is used for animal husbandry. The specifics and severity of agro-resource situations often differ sharply across countries, and within countries, across regions. Therefore, there can be no universal ways solutions to the food problem and overall growth in agricultural productivity.

Progress in the development of productive forces in the world's agriculture in the 20-30s. 20th century associated with the mechanization of work, in the 40-50s. - selection and chemicalization, in the 60-70s. - the spread of the achievements of the green revolution, from the 80s. - a period of active development and introduction of biotechnology and computerization of agricultural production has come.

At the same time, world agriculture at the beginning of the XXI century. experiencing a number of problems. First of all, this is the lack of land resources and the natural limited growth of land productivity in developed countries and low labor productivity on land, associated with a lack of investment, in developing regions.

Growth rate agricultural production in the early XXI century. averaged 2-2.5% per year, which significantly exceeded the population growth rate and made it possible to produce products 20-30% more than the volume necessary to meet the countries' domestic needs for food and raw materials. On the contrary, in developing countries, the growth rates of agricultural production, especially food, coincided in value with population growth (2-3%), and per capita in some countries had a downward trend, which contributed to the persistence of the food problem, especially in Tropical Africa.

Branches of agriculture

Agriculture- the most important link in the agro-industrial complex and differs from other sectors of the economy by the seasonal nature of production, the use of land as an object and means of labor, and a strong dependence on natural conditions. It includes agriculture (plant growing) and animal husbandry, closely related to each other, which provide respectively 56 and 44% of agricultural products.

The natural basis of agriculture are land- land used in agriculture. In 2007, the area of agricultural land amounted to 220.6 million hectares, or 12.9% of the country's area, and according to this indicator, our country ranks third in the world after China and the United States. The sown area (arable land) is much smaller: in 2007 it amounted to 76.4 million hectares, or less than 5% of the country's territory. As of the beginning of 2007, the level of provision of agricultural land for the population of Russia per capita was 1.55 ha, including 0.54 ha of arable land. The remaining territories are occupied by forests and shrubs, tundra, mountain ranges, that is, lands that are inconvenient for agriculture.

A significant part of Russia's agricultural lands is located in waterlogged or arid regions, subject to wind and water erosion, and some of them ended up in the zone of contamination with radioactive elements after the Chernobyl accident. Thus, almost 3/4 of agricultural land has either already degraded or is at the dangerous line of loss of fertility. This situation is aggravated by a sharp reduction in the supply of mineral fertilizers to agriculture. That's why everything greater value land reclamation is playing - the natural improvement of lands to increase their fertility or general improvement of the area, one of the types of rational nature management.

The total area of fodder lands is more than 70 million hectares, but more than 1/2 of them fall on the share of tundra reindeer pastures, which are characterized by low fodder productivity.

A wide variety of natural landscape zones, different populations led to features of the use of agricultural land: in the steppe and forest-steppe zone with fertile gray soils and chestnut soils, plowing reaches 80% of all agricultural land; in the forest zone - much less; in the foothill areas, vast alpine meadows are combined with small plots of arable land in the valleys and along the slopes of the mountains.

Crop production is the leading branch of agriculture in terms of gross output - 56% in 2007.

The climatic conditions of Russia limit the range of crops that are permissible and cost-effective to cultivate on its territory. High and stable yields can only be obtained in the west of the country's black earth belt and in the western regions of the North Caucasus.

Cereal crops is the leading branch of crop production in Russia. They occupy more than half of the country's cultivated area. Due to the inconsistency of weather conditions, their collection from year to year ranged from 127 million tons in the most fruitful year of 1978 to 48 million tons in 1998. In the last two decades, there has been a tendency to reduce grain harvests. The average annual gross grain harvest in Russia was (in million tons): 1950s. — 59; 1960s — 84; 1970s — 101; 1980s — 98; 1990s - 76. Nevertheless, in 2007, in terms of grain harvest - 82 million tons - Russia ranked fourth in the world after China, the USA and India.

The average grain yield in Russia is very low - about 20 centners per 1 ha, compared with 60-70 centners in Western European countries, which is explained by the difference in agro-climatic conditions and the low culture of domestic agriculture. More than 9/10 of the total collection falls on four crops: wheat (more than half), barley (about a quarter), oats and rye.

Wheat

Wheat- the most important grain crop in Russia. It is sown mainly in the forest-steppe and less arid part of the steppe zone, and the density of crops decreases in the east direction. Two types of wheat are sown in Russia - spring and winter. Given that the yield of winter wheat is twice as high as that of spring wheat, winter wheat is cultivated wherever agro-climatic conditions allow. Therefore, in the western part of the country up to the Volga (the North Caucasus, the Central Black Earth Region, the right bank of the Volga region), winter wheat crops predominate, in the eastern part (the left bank of the Volga region, Southern Urals, south Western Siberia and the Far East) - spring.

Barley

Barley- the second largest grain crop in Russia, used primarily for the manufacture of concentrated feed for livestock. This is one of the earliest ripening crops that tolerate frost and drought well, so the area of barley cultivation is extensive: it penetrates further than other grain crops to the north, south and southeast.

oats

oats- primarily a forage crop and is widely used in the feed industry. Distributed in the forest zone in areas with a milder climate, it is also sown in Siberia and the Far East.

Rye

Rye- an important food crop, relatively undemanding to agro-climatic conditions, it needs less heat than winter wheat, and it, like oats, tolerates acidic soils well. Its main area is the Russian Non-Black Earth Region.

All other crops, including rice and corn, are not widely used in domestic crop production due to harsh climatic conditions. Maize crops for grain are concentrated in the North Caucasus - the only region of Russia, which, according to natural conditions, resembles the famous "corn belt" of the United States, in other regions of the country it is cultivated for green fodder and silage. Rice crops are located in the floodplains of the Kuban River, the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Khanka lowland.

Industrial crops are a valuable raw material for production food products(sugar, vegetable oils) and many light industry products. They are very demanding on agro-climatic conditions, labor-intensive and material-intensive, and are located in narrowed areas. The most famous fibrous crop in Russia is fiber flax. Its main crops are concentrated in the north-west of the European part of the country. The main oil crop - sunflower - is grown in the forest-steppe and steppe zone of the country (Central Chernozem region, North Caucasus). The main crops of industrial varieties of sugar beet are concentrated in the Central Chernozem Region and the Krasnodar Territory.

The potato is an important food and fodder crop. Crops of this crop are widespread, but the vast majority is concentrated in Central Russia, as well as near cities, where vegetable growing is also developing. Horticulture and viticulture as a large branch of crop production is typical for the southern regions of Russia.

animal husbandry- an important component of agriculture, which provides less than half of the gross output of the industry. Despite a serious drop in production during the years of the economic crisis, today Russia is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of livestock production.

The industry reached its maximum level of development in 1987, after which both the number of livestock and the volume of production began to decline. The main value of livestock products is meat. The structure of its production is dominated by beef and veal - 39%, followed by pork - 34%, poultry meat - 24%, lamb and goat meat - 3%. In 2007, the number of cattle, sheep and goats was inferior to 1940.

Number of livestock in Russia at the beginning of the year* (in million heads)

Year	Cattle	including cows.	Pigs	Sheep and goats
1940	28,3	14,3	12,2	46,0
1950	31,5	13,7	10,7	45,7
1960	37,6	17,6	27,1	67,5
1970	49,4	20,4	27,4	63,4
1980	58,6	22,2	36,4	66,9
1987	60,5	21,3	40,2	64,1
2000	27,5	12,9	18,3	14,0
2007	21,5	9,4	16,1	21,0

The development, location and specialization of animal husbandry are determined by the availability of a forage base, which depends on the degree of plowing of land, the composition of forage crops, and the size of pasture resources. A paradoxical situation has developed in the fodder base of modern Russia: while procuring more feed in terms of calories per unit of livestock products than developed countries, Russia constantly experiences an acute shortage of them, which is due to the low preservation of fodder, their inefficient structure (a small proportion of concentrated fodder), frequent interruptions in the supply of livestock farms with fodder, almost complete disregard for scientifically based proposals on the system of feeding and keeping livestock.

The distribution of animal husbandry is formed under the influence of two main factors: orientation to the food base and attraction to the consumer. With the development of urbanization processes and progress in transport, the importance of the second factor in the location of animal husbandry is rapidly increasing. Dairy farming, pig farming, and poultry farming are developing in the suburban areas of large cities and highly urbanized areas, i.e., the azonal nature of livestock farming is increasing. However, until now, the orientation towards the forage base (zonal factor) is the determining factor in the location of livestock farming.

The largest branch of animal husbandry is cattle breeding (cattle breeding), the main products of which are milk and meat. Based on their ratio, there are three main areas of cattle breeding:

a) dairy relies on succulent feed and is located in the center of the European part of the country and around cities;
b) dairy and meat uses natural feed and silage and is placed everywhere;
c) meat, dairy and meat products are based on rough and concentrated feed and are represented in the steppes and semi-deserts of the North Caucasus, the Urals, the Volga region, and Siberia.

Pig breeding is a precocious industry and provides 1/3 of the meat. It uses root crops (potatoes, sugar beet), concentrated feed and food waste as feed. It is located in agriculturally developed areas and near large cities.

Sheep farming provides raw materials textile industry and is predominantly developed in semi-deserts and mountainous regions. Sheep breeding of the fine-wool direction is represented in the southern steppes of the European part and in the south of Siberia, semi-fine-wool - prevails in the European territory of the country and the Far East.

Poultry farming is highly productive and is most developed in the main grain-producing areas and near large cities. Reindeer breeding is the main branch of agriculture in the Far North. In some areas, horse breeding (the North Caucasus, the south of the Urals), downy goat breeding (dry steppes of the Urals), and yak breeding (Altai, Buryatia, Tuva) are of commercial importance.

food industry- the final sphere of the agro-industrial complex. It includes a set of industries producing food flavoring, as well as tobacco products, perfumes and cosmetics. The food industry is distinguished by its ubiquitous location, although the set of its branches in each region is determined by the structure of agriculture, and the volume of production is determined by the population of the given territory and the conditions for transporting finished products.

The food industry is closely related to agriculture and includes more than 20 industries that use different raw materials. Some industries use raw materials (sugar, tea, dairy, oil and fat), others use raw materials that have been processed (bakery, confectionery, pasta), others are a combination of the first two (meat, dairy).

Placement of the food industry depends on the availability of raw materials and the consumer. According to the degree of their influence, the following groups of industries can be distinguished.

The first group gravitates toward the regions where raw materials are produced, since the cost of raw materials per unit of output is high here, and transportation is associated with large losses and deterioration in quality. These include sugar, fruit and vegetable canning, oil and fat, tea, butter, salt.

The sugar industry does not fully meet the needs of the Russian population in its products. A significant part of the sugar consumed in Russia is imported from abroad. Our country also imports raw sugar. The highest concentration of domestic sugar factories is in the Central Black Earth region and in the North Caucasus.

A special place in this group is occupied by the fishing industry, which includes the extraction of raw materials (fish, sea animals) and its processing. The catch is dominated by cod, herring, horse mackerel, a significant proportion of salmon and sturgeon. Most of the products of the fishing industry in Russia are produced by the Far East (Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin and Kamchatka regions). The Murmansk, Kaliningrad and Astrakhan regions stand out from other major producers in this industry.

The second group of industries is connected with the places of consumption of finished products and produces perishable goods. This is the baking, confectionery, whole-milk (production of milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir) industries, which are concentrated primarily in highly urbanized areas.

The third group is formed by industries with a simultaneous focus on raw materials and on the consumer. Such a duality of placement is characterized by meat, flour-grinding, dairy.

At present, the food industry is one of the most dynamic sectors of the country; it is distinguished by its investment attractiveness, which makes it possible to create wide network processing enterprises of small capacity, equipped with modern equipment.

Agriculture in Russia- a set of interrelated industries specializing mainly in the production of raw materials for the food processing industry. Some of the branches of agriculture produce products that are ready for consumption, further processing of which is not required in all cases. For example, these are the products of vegetable growing, horticulture, and dairy farming.

Agricultural goods are also in demand from a number of other industries that are not directly or indirectly related to food production. For example, agricultural products are actively used in the pharmaceutical, textile, and footwear industries. Some types of agricultural raw materials serve as the basis for the production of biofuels.

Agriculture in Russia is part of a larger intersectoral association - the agro-industrial complex (AIC), and is its key link. In addition to agriculture, the sectors of the agro-industrial complex include:

food and processing industries;
industries that provide agriculture with the means of production and material resources(for example, agricultural engineering industries, fertilizer and agricultural chemical industries);
infrastructure industries - a number of industries serving the above industries of the agro-industrial complex (logistics services, Financial services, training of qualified personnel, etc.).

A set of measures for state regulation of the branches of the agro-industrial complex can also be considered as a separate link in the agro-industrial complex. AT last years It was the state regulation of the agro-industrial complex that led to a steady increase in the production of most types of agricultural products, products of the food and processing industries in Russia.

Branches of agriculture in Russia

Agriculture in Russia, being part of a larger inter-industry association (AIC), in turn, is also divided into a number of industries:

Branches of crop production: industries for growing grain (wheat, barley, corn, rye, oats, rice, rye, triticale, millet, sorghum), legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas, beans), oilseeds (sunflower, soybeans, rapeseed, camelina and others), potatoes and vegetables ( onion, carrots, cabbage, beets, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants, radishes, turnips, other vegetables), fruits, forage grasses, industrial crops (such as cotton, hemp) and medicinal plants.

Livestock industries: branches of pig breeding, egg and meat poultry farming, dairy and beef cattle breeding (breeding of cattle of dairy and meat breeds), goat and sheep breeding, rabbit breeding, horse breeding, deer breeding, beekeeping.

Structure of agricultural production by sectors

The shares of crop and livestock industries in the total value of agricultural products in Russia are at approximately the same levels. According to the preliminary results of 2015, the share of crop production was at the level of 52.3% (2,637 billion rubles), the share of animal husbandry was 47.7% (2,400 billion rubles).

Agriculture in Russia - Regional Analysis

Leading regions in the production of agricultural products in Russia (TOP-10 in 2015): Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, Belgorod Region, Republic of Tatarstan, Voronezh Region, Stavropol Territory, Republic of Bashkortostan, Altai region, Volgograd region and Tambov region. In 2015, these regions accounted for 38.0% of all agricultural production in value terms.

Volume of agricultural production

Agriculture is one of the few sectors of the real sector of the economy that shows steady growth even in times of crisis.

It is worth noting that it is the crisis phenomena accompanied by the devaluation of the ruble, although they have some negative impact on the industry (rising prices for imported machinery and equipment, seeds for sowing, breeding stock), in general, contribute to the increase in agricultural production.

First, the weakening of the national currency leads to an increase in the cost of imported products in the domestic market, as a result of which import substitution is carried out in the market of agricultural raw materials and food.

Secondly, devaluation contributes to the growth of competitiveness Russian goods in world markets. Increasing the volume of external shipments stimulates the investment attractiveness of domestic production.

Example 1 The economic crisis of 1998, which was accompanied by a default, led to a significant increase in the cost of imported products in the domestic market, which increased the investment attractiveness of a number of agricultural sectors. Thus, since 1998 there has been a steady increase in the production of poultry meat. By 1997, the volume of poultry meat production in the Russian Federation fell to a minimum of 0.6 million tons in carcass weight (in 1991 it was about 1.8 million tons). The volume of imports exceeded 1.4 million tons. Already in 2004, in the conditions of growing investments in poultry farming, production volumes recovered to 1 million tons, imports decreased to 1.1 million tons. State regulation import of meat (quotas), the launch of the PNP "Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex", the implementation of state programs for the development of agriculture, as well as the economic crises of 2008 (in 2009, compared to 2008, imports of poultry meat to the Russian Federation fell by 238 thousand tons), 2014-2015, contributed to further growth in production. In 2015, production reached 4.5 million tons, imports fell to less than 0.3 million tons, poultry meat exports from Russia exceeded 60 thousand tons.

Example 2 The weakening of the ruble in 2015 led to a drop in the supply of vegetables to the Russian Federation. The total import of the main types of vegetables (tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, sweet peppers, garlic, radishes, zucchini, eggplant, table beets) in 2015 decreased compared to 2014 by 30.8% or by 636 .7 thousand tons and amounted to 1432.0 thousand tons (volumes are presented without taking into account data on trade with Belarus and Kazakhstan). At the same time, the volume of production of open and protected ground vegetables in 2015 in the industrial sector of vegetable growing (agricultural organizations and farms, excluding households) amounted to 5,275.6 thousand tons, which is 13.3% or 620.5 thousand tons. tons more than in 2014.

Example 3 The devaluation of the ruble in 2015 increased the export supplies of Russian grain by foreign markets. Thus, the export of corn increased by 5.7% to 3,677.1 thousand tons, the export of barley increased by 31.2% to 5,258.4 thousand tons. There was no increase in wheat exports due to increased export duties.

Agricultural production in Russia at actual prices. The volume of agricultural production in all categories of Russian farms, according to preliminary data from Rosstat (analysis of data as of February 21, 2016), in 2015 in actual prices amounted to 5,037 billion rubles, which is 16.6% more than in 2014 year. For 5 years, in relation to 2010, the indicators increased by 94.7%, for 10 years - more than 3.6 times.

The increase in production is carried out mainly due to the industrial segment - agricultural organizations and peasant farms. The increase in volumes on the part of households is not so significant.

The production of agricultural products in the industrial segment in 2015 amounted to 3,103 billion rubles. Over the year, the indicators increased by 20.8%, over 5 years - by 132.0%, over 10 years - by 4.4 times.

Household households in 2015 produced agricultural products worth 1,934 billion rubles. Over the year, the indicators increased by 10.5% (below the inflation rate), over 5 years - by 54.7%, over 10 years - 2.8 times.

Agricultural production in Russia in 2015 prices. The agriculture of Russia in 2015, in relation to 2014, in 2015 prices shows an increase in indicators in value terms by 3.3%, while in the industrial sector the increase in the cost of manufactured products amounted to 7.0%, in the households there is a slight decrease - by 2.1%. Over 5 years, the total value of agricultural products in 2015 prices increased by 28.6%, over 10 years - by 47.4%. At the same time, in agricultural organizations and peasant farms over 5 years, the increase was 53.3%, over 10 years - 79.2%.

In the households of the population, a steady increase in indicators is not observed. The value of the products produced here reached the highest marks in 2011. Since then, figures in 2015 prices have declined by 5.0%.

The share of agriculture in Russia's GDP

Gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, according to preliminary data from Rosstat, amounted to 80,412.5 billion rubles. The share of the value of agricultural products produced (in all categories of farms) in the total GDP in 2015, according to the calculations of AB-Center, was at the level of 6.3%. In relation to 2014, it changed towards an increase of 0.8 percentage points.

Prospects for the development of agriculture in Russia

Agriculture- an industry of strategic importance, the development of which is aimed not only at obtaining commercial profit, but also at ensuring Food and National Security.

By 2015, prescribed in the Doctrine food security In the Russian Federation, indicators of food independence are provided for almost all types of agricultural goods. However, another equally important indicator - the economic availability of food for the population has not yet been fully achieved.

Main article - Food security

In most developed countries, the share of food expenditures in the family budget is at the level of 10-20%. As of 2014, in the US, according to the USDA, it was 6.5%, in the UK - 8.7%, in Switzerland - 8.9%, in Canada - 9.3%, in Australia - 9.9% , in Austria - 10.0%, in Germany - 10.6%, in Norway - 12.3%, in Japan - 13.5%, in France - 13.6%, in Italy - 14.2%, in Spain - 14.5%, Brazil - 15.6%, Uruguay - 18.3%, South Africa - 19.1%, Venezuela - 19.8%, Turkey - 21.6%, China - 25.5%, in India - 29.0%. In Russia, the share of household spending on food in the total family budget amounted to 29.4%.

On the whole, Russia's agriculture has emerged from a systemic crisis and has gone from complete decline in the mid-1990s. before reaching the first positions in the world in a number of indicators by 2015. At present, agriculture is one of the most investment-attractive sectors of the real sector of the Russian economy.

In the previous decade (2005-2015) there was an import substitution of a number of food products(primarily meat), as well as strengthening the export potential in the market of grain, oilseeds, oilseed products.

Import substitution in agriculture

Import substitution for most types of agricultural products has been generally achieved. In 2015, for the first time, the minimum food independence threshold for meat was exceeded. According to the Doctrine of Food Security of the Russian Federation, the self-sufficiency of the Russian Federation in meat should be at least 85%. In 2014, Russia's self-sufficiency in meat of all kinds, according to the calculations of the Expert and Analytical Center for Agribusiness "AB-Center", amounted to 84.8%, in 2015 it reached 89.7%. 10 years ago, the figures were 60.7%.

However, in 2014-2015 there is a decrease in consumption volumes (from 76.0 kg in 2013 to 72.2 kg in 2015), which is due both to a slight decrease in the real disposable income of the population, and to the fact that the volume of production growth is slightly lower than the volume of import decline.

Against the background of a decrease in the volume of meat consumption in general, the consumption of poultry meat is growing. In 2015, per capita consumption reached 31.1 kg against 31.3 kg in 2014, 24.6 kg in 2010, and 18.9 kg in 2005. The increase in consumption was accompanied by a weakening of producer prices for this species meat. In actual prices, there was an increase, but the increase in prices was significantly below the level of inflation.

There is a rather high dependence on imports in the vegetable market, especially in the off-season. In 2014-2016 there is a high investment activity in the vegetable growing industry. A number of projects for the construction of vegetable stores and winter greenhouses. It is expected that by 2018, in general, the country will be provided with the main types of vegetables of its own production.

The most difficult is the process of import substitution in the market of seeds for sowing (seed potatoes of a high degree of reproduction, elite seeds of vegetables, corn, sunflower), purebred pedigree cattle.

Export of agricultural products

The key driver for the development of Russian agriculture in the long term is transition from import substitution to export-oriented production. The saturation of the domestic market contributes to the weakening of prices and increases the competitiveness of goods in world markets. The transition to an export-oriented production of goods is currently observed in the most problematic products earlier in terms of dependence on imports. In 2015, the volume of exports of meat and offal from Russia reached 83.7 thousand tons, which is 6.3% more than in 2014. For 5 years the volumes have increased by 4.5 times. This is mainly poultry meat and pork offal - the most competitive types of meat Russian production on the world market in terms of price.

As for grain, the problem of food dependence does not stand here. Russia, on the contrary, is one of the key exporters. In 2015, exports of all types of grain exceeded 30 million tons worth US$5.5 billion. Wheat, barley and corn are exported in the largest volumes. The increase in export volumes is facilitated by the growth of world demand, the development of logistics infrastructure, and the increase in fees in the Russian Federation.

The devaluation of the ruble in 2015 also contributed to the increase in export volumes, however, in terms of value in US dollars, the figures decreased.

Russia is also one of the leading suppliers of vegetable oils, oilseed meals to the world market, which is facilitated by both the growth in oilseed harvests and the development of the primary processing industry.

The export of sunflower oil from the Russian Federation in 2015, excluding supplies to the countries of the Customs Union of the EAEU, reached 1,237 thousand tons in the amount of 1,007 million US dollars, the export of rapeseed oil amounted to 263 thousand tons in the amount of 188.9 million US dollars, export soybean oil exceeded 432 thousand tons with a total value of 301 million US dollars.

Export of sunflower meal in 2015 amounted to 1,246 thousand tons for the amount of 251 million US dollars, soybean meal - Export of soybean meal reached 421 thousand tons for the amount of 199 million US dollars, rapeseed cake - 222 thousand tons for the amount of 53 million US dollars.

Russian goods in the face of growing global demand will be increasingly in demand. world trade wheat for 10 years (from 2004 to 2014) increased from 98.1 million tons to 175.4 million tons, barley - from 23.1 to 33.6 million tons, corn - from 90.6 to 141.9 million tons, sunflower oil - from 3.7 to 10.5 million tons.

Russia is one of the few countries in the world where there are significant reserves of land for expanding agricultural production. In addition, there is a significant backlog of intensive development, since in many respects (for example, milk yield per cow, crop yield per unit area), the agriculture of the Russian Federation still lags far behind countries with high-intensity farming (EU countries, Canada, USA) . In the context of a steady growth in the population of the Earth and an increase in demand for food in the world, the role of agriculture in the country's economy will increase.

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 activity. 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. A distinctive feature of agricultural activity is the high dependence 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 are that without close proximity 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 the northern regions, agriculture in closed ground is developing.

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 production bakery products, and the second - for 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 are savings useful areas and obvious benefits.

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 is best suited for growing this crop. Stavropol Territory. 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 do just farming, considering this direction 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 is worth big 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, the breeding of cattle, both dairy and dairy-meat, is widely represented. 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 It's 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 adherence to 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 extremely profitable business. Only 15-20 families are enough to be profitable at the end of the season. However, we do not have state support for beekeeping, as, for example, in Europe. 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 start-up business and assumes part of the risks associated with its development, then our lending to the peasant economy is going extremely badly.
Lack of agricultural machinery fleet. Most small farms are forced to partially or completely use manual labor, as they cannot afford to purchase 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 is the second leading branch of material production. It consists of two main sub-sectors: agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture, in turn, is subdivided into field cultivation, horticulture and viticulture. Livestock farming includes many sub-sectors, but the main ones are cattle breeding, pig breeding, sheep breeding, and poultry farming.

Agriculture is the most ancient view human economic activity, and the sectoral composition of agriculture has become decisive for the development of various types human civilizations. There are agricultural peoples and agricultural culture (for example, Egypt, Central America, etc.), coastal peoples and coastal culture (contact coastal zones), and nomadic peoples and nomadic culture (Central Asia, etc.).

There is not a single country in the world whose inhabitants would not be engaged in agriculture and related industries - forestry, hunting, fishing.

Around the world, they employ about 1.1 billion people. Due to the diversity of natural conditions and socio-economic conditions, there are many types of agriculture (about 50).

Types of agriculture

In economically developed countries, the following type of agriculture predominates. Transformation of agriculture based on the achievements of the scientific and technological revolution and the creation of an agribusiness system, which includes not only the production of agricultural products, but also its processing, storage, transportation, marketing, production of equipment and fertilizers. All this gives the agriculture of developed countries an industrial character. Appeared new type production - highly mechanized large farms and factories, intensively working, but causing enormous harm to nature.

In developing countries, traditional consumer agriculture prevails, mainly crop production, with little or no combination with animal husbandry. Consumer agriculture is represented by hundreds of millions of small and tiny farms, which usually provide food for the family.

Therefore, developing countries lag far behind developed countries in terms of agricultural intensification. Along with this, it should be noted that in developing countries there are also large farms and plantations related to the commercial economy. They are usually located in the most favorable places for growing a particular crop, their production is often focused more on the external than on the domestic market.

Environmental problems

For thousands of years, people have had a great impact on the environment.

During the period of extensive development of agriculture, the main type of impact on nature was the plowing of land and deforestation. A strong negative impact on the environment was already in China in the II-III millennium BC. The state of Russia's forests already at the end of the 17th century was so alarming that Peter I issued a special law regulating logging. But these and many other negative impacts cannot be compared with the consequences of the intensification of agriculture in the second half of the 20th century.

The active use of intensive technologies has led to environmental degradation, loss of land and water shortages.

Soil erosion is a new phenomenon, as many fertile lands began to turn into a desert with great speed. World arable land loses about 26 billion square meters annually. m of land, which is associated with excessive plowing, the use of heavy equipment, chemicals, etc.

The most effective erosion control measures have been taken since 1985 in the United States, when the US Congress passed a law on leasing from farmers and conserving unsuitable lands in order to turn them into forests and grasslands.

Deforestation brings irreparable harm to nature, which is also associated with the expansion of plowed areas due to pastures. Forests in the tropics contribute to rainfall and help conserve water and land, and when they are cut down, the content of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, which, along with intense emissions from transport and industry, leads to global warming.

crop production

Most (70%) of the food consumed by the modern world comes from crop production. The leading branch of agriculture, the basis of all agricultural world production and international trade is the cultivation of grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats and rye. Their crops occupy 1/2 of the world's arable land, and in some countries - even more (for example, in Japan 96%).

Grain is the main food product, the most important part of feed, and is also a raw material for a number of industries. Modern grain production in the world reaches 1.9 billion tons/year, and 4/5 is wheat, rice, corn.

Wheat is the world leader in grain production. This culture, known six thousand years ago, comes from the Arabian steppes. Now the area of its cultivation is very large - it covers all countries of the world with a variety of conditions, thanks to the creation of new varieties. The main wheat belt stretches in the northern hemisphere, the smaller one in the southern. The main areas of wheat cultivation in the world are the central plains of the United States, which merge in the north with the steppe provinces of Canada, the steppe plains of Argentina, the plains of southwestern and southeastern Australia, the steppes of Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and China. The largest collections are in the USA, Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine. The largest exporting countries are Australia, Canada, Argentina, USA.

Rice is the second crop of the world after wheat in terms of crops and collections, the staple food of most of the world's population (especially the densely populated countries of Asia). Flour, starch are obtained from rice, it is processed into alcohol, waste from the rice processing industry is used to feed livestock.

It is assumed that rice began to be sown in central and southern China at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Rice culture has a clear ecological and geographical dependence. It needs a hot and humid climate to grow. However, despite the spread of rice on all continents, the zones of intensive rice cultivation do not cover all areas suitable for cultivation, but are concentrated mainly in the countries of the South and South-East Asia, which provide up to 90% of the world's rice crop. China stands out especially sharply, more than 2 times larger than India, which follows it in terms of collection. The largest manufacturers rice are also Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Brazil.

Rice occupies a special place in world trade: developed countries import rice in small quantities, rice trade is predominantly between developing countries (from developed countries, rice is mainly traded by the United States, Japan, Italy and Australia).

Corn is a major livestock feed crop, especially in the United States and Western Europe. In Asia, Africa, Latin America, Southern Europe, corn is mainly a food crop. It is also important as a technical culture. Corn comes from Mexico, from where it was brought to other parts of the world. The main crops are currently concentrated in areas with a warm, temperate or subtropical climate. The world's premier corn-growing region is the US Corn Belt, south of the Great Lakes. The main exporters of corn are the USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina.

Oilseeds. Vegetable oils are extracted from the fruits and seeds of oil crops, as well as from the seeds of some cereals (corn) or spinning (hemp). Soybeans, peanuts, sunflowers, rapeseed, sesame seeds, mustard, etc. are grown from oilseeds. Now about 2/3 of the fats consumed are of vegetable origin. The rapid growth in the production and consumption of oilseeds over the past decades has been associated in developed countries with the replacement of animal fats with vegetable ones, and in developing countries with the cheapness of these products.

The largest producers are the United States (1/2 soybeans), India (I place in the collection of peanuts), China (I place in the collection of cotton and rapeseed).

Developing countries, which produce most of the industry's products, have significantly reduced the export of oilseeds in connection with the creation of their own oil and fat industry. Many of them are themselves importers of vegetable oils.

Tuber crops. The most common crop is the potato, which originated in South America, but is now mostly a crop of the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. World potato producers are Russia, Poland, China, USA, India, Germany.

A huge role in the diet of people is played by sugar-bearing crops - sugar beets and sugar cane, which now account for 60% and 40% of world sugar production (12 million tons, respectively). Sugarcane is cultivated in the countries of the tropical and subtropical belt, that is, in developing countries, in Cuba and in China. For some countries, this is the basis of their specialization in the MGRT (Dominican Republic). Developed countries provide only about 10% of the world harvest of sugar cane.

In the geography of sugar beet cultivation, the picture is reversed. The region of its distribution is the temperate climate, especially the middle zone of Europe (EU countries, Ukraine, as well as the USA and Canada). In Asia, these are mainly Turkey, Iran, China and Japan.

As tonic cultures, tea, coffee and cocoa are usually consumed most often. They are cultivated in the tropics (tea is also in the subtropics) and occupy rather limited regions.

Fruit and vegetable crops occupy a prominent place in the economy of many countries; their lands, along with arable land, are one of the main lands. As the role of vegetables and fruits in nutrition grows (especially in developed countries), their production and imports are growing.

In general, it can be noted that a significant part of oilseeds, sugar-bearing, fruit, and especially tonic crops enter the world market. Developing countries are their main exporters, while economically developed countries are their importers.

Of the non-food crops, fibrous crops and rubber are the most important in the world.

Cotton is the main fiber crop, with Asia leading the way, followed by the Americas and then Africa.2

Other fibrous crops - flax and jute grow in a less extensive area. Almost 3/4 of the world production of flax falls on Russia and Belarus, jute - on Bangladesh. The production of natural rubber is characterized by a particularly high concentration, 85% of which is produced by the countries of Southeast Asia (the main producers are Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia).

A characteristic feature of agriculture in many countries has become the cultivation of narcotic substances, such as tobacco, opium poppy and Indian hemp. These crops are grown primarily in the developing countries of Asia.

animal husbandry

Like grain crops, livestock production is almost universal, with meadows and pastures occupying three times as much land as arable land in the land structure. The main part of livestock production is provided by the countries of the temperate zone.

The geography of world animal husbandry is primarily determined by the distribution of livestock. At the same time, three sectors play a leading role: cattle breeding, pig breeding, and sheep breeding.

The contrasts in the development of animal husbandry in developing and developed countries are even greater than in agriculture.

In most developing countries, animal husbandry is a secondary industry. In developed countries, however, animal husbandry prevails over agriculture and is characterized by an intensive type of farming. Industrialization, improvement of the fodder base and successes in selection work have allowed developed countries to achieve tremendous success in increasing the productivity of animal husbandry. Due to the fact that animal husbandry in them faces the same problems as agriculture - overproduction, a policy of curbing and reducing production is being pursued.

Three branches of animal husbandry

The importance of cattle breeding (1.3 billion heads) is that this sub-sector produces almost all milk and more than 1/3 of meat.

In general, we can say that the dairy direction is most typical for densely populated areas of Europe and North America (in the forest and forest-steppe zones temperate zone).

Meat and dairy cattle breeding is widespread both in temperate regions with intensive agriculture, and in drier regions that are worse off. labor resources. Beef cattle are bred mainly in the more arid regions of the temperate and subtropical zones.

Pig breeding is one of the most dynamic branches of animal husbandry (more than 0.8 billion heads). The advances in pig production have been so tangible that pork is now cheaper than beef. Pig farming is possible everywhere. In Muslim countries, pig breeding is practically absent for religious reasons. Typically, this industry is located near densely populated areas, as well as areas of intensive potato and beet growing. Almost half of the world's pig population is in Asia, primarily in China.

Sheep breeding (1.2 billion heads) prevails in countries and regions with extensive pastures. At the same time, fine-wool sheep breeding is most often found in areas with a more arid climate and is carried out in steppe and semi-desert pastures. Semi-fine-fleece, meat-and-wool sheep breeding prevails in areas that are better provided with moisture and have a milder climate. The largest sheep breeding area in the world is the steppe regions of Australia.

Trade and production

Economically developed countries are significantly ahead of developing ones in terms of the absolute indicator of livestock production. This is due to lower livestock productivity in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Suffice it to say that they account for only 25% of world beef production and 14% of milk production.

Per capita production of livestock products in economically developed countries, as a rule, is many times higher. Particularly stand out are small countries with highly intensive animal husbandry (New Zealand, the Netherlands). But high per capita rates can also be found in countries with more extensive livestock production and smaller populations (for example, Australia).

Below is a table that characterizes the international trade in livestock products. It shows that the leading positions in trade are occupied by economically developed countries, they act as the main exporters of meat products and wool.

Agriculture is a type of activity that is aimed at growing, collecting, processing different types of products. The main branches of agriculture are animal husbandry and crop production. Agriculture at all times has played an important role in the lives of people, the economy of states, and the prosperity of peoples in general. The branches of agriculture and their features of development are described in this article.

Crop production is a generalized term that includes several areas of agriculture. So, what are the main branches of crop production:

Grain farming is of great importance for every country and people in the world. Bread is the main food product at all times. They make it from different grain crops, but one way or another, without grain there will be neither bread nor cereals. In addition, animal feed is also made from grain!
Cultivation of technical plants - this is primarily cotton, flax, sugar beet, rapeseed, sunflower, tobacco and other similar crops that are used for the production of fabrics, various oils, tobacco products, etc.
Feed production - certain industries that work on the creation, procurement and processing of feed for agricultural and domestic animals. This industry uses the land for the cultivation of meadow grasses, gourds, tubers, and root crops.
Viticulture, are important parts of crop production. This industry is involved in the production of various types of juices, alcohol, sweets, etc.
Vegetable and potato growing are also required in each country.

Interesting!

AT different countries ah has its own main areas of crop production and animal husbandry. They are determined by the cultural characteristics of the people, climate and other important factors.

As you can see, crop production has several main branches. Depending on the requirements of certain plants in terms of climate, soil, they are cultivated in certain conditions. So, in principle, crop production is based, first of all, on what crops need to be grown and whether there are suitable conditions for them.

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Branches of agriculture include mainly crop production. There is plenty of land suitable for planting plants in the world, so crop production plays a big role for any country. Soil quality and climate play an important role in the development of crop production.

Russia is located in several climatic regions, so it has good prospects for the development of crop production. In Russia, the land is good, so this area of agriculture is well developed, but not enough. Here it must be taken into account that in different parts of Russia there are various features of the climate, so that not everywhere there are conditions for the development of crop production. Only 35% of Russia's land is located in a temperate climate, where most types of crops can be grown, including buckwheat, oats, wheat, and rye. But there are many lands that are not suitable for growing cultivated plants, due to poor climate or simply poor quality soil.

The main branches of animal husbandry have their own distinctive features. Below is a short description of them.

Cattle breeding . This is cattle breeding. It is the main direction in animal husbandry. In agriculture, cattle breeding plays an important role, since it is not only meat, but also dairy products, hides, wool, etc.
- another one important industry. In some countries, pig production plays more important role than livestock.
Goat breeding and sheep breeding have gained wide popularity in the mountainous, steppe zones.
is another important area of animal husbandry. plays an important role in agriculture.
- a direction that has never lost popularity. Honey has always been held in high esteem. In addition, this direction is also responsible for obtaining wax, royal jelly, bee bread, bee venom and other important products.
horse breeding in ancient times it was important, since horses were the main means of transportation, they were used in agriculture and in wars. Today it is losing its popularity, but has not completely disappeared.
camel breeding - Another direction that is of great importance today for countries with large desert areas. This is not only a means of transportation, but also tasty meat, high-quality wool, skin, milk, fat.
reindeer breeding - a direction that has become widespread in forest regions and areas like the tundra of Russia.
Fur farming not very popular today. It is aimed at supplying skins and meat of small fur-bearing animals.

Industries are directly related to agriculture, since it is from animal husbandry and crop production that many products are obtained that are needed for the functioning of certain industries.

Interesting!

In ancient times, and in modern world, the development of animal husbandry in a country depends on what animals are available in it. For example, camel breeding is successfully developing only in countries where there is a desert area. Since there these animals can live and survive on their own.

Features of animal husbandry

For Russia, animal husbandry, like crop production, is a promising branch of agriculture. As the country developed, animal husbandry had its ups and downs. In the Soviet Union, it was popular and developed. From 1991 to 2005, it significantly reduced its influence. Today we can say that Russia is not developed in the best way, but this does not mean that the situation cannot improve, it just requires certain prerequisites.

What influences the development of agriculture

It is known that the development of agriculture is influenced not only by climate and weather, but also by other important factors.

As you can see, many factors affect agriculture, so when talking about its development, you need to take into account all of them.

Interesting!

Recently, agriculture is beginning to abandon chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, which can harm not only plants, but also soil and water.

The impact of ecology on agriculture

And all its branches depend on the ecological state of countries and the world as a whole. Alas, but the attitude to the environment at the moment does not meet the needs. Nature is being destroyed, and therefore agriculture cannot develop normally. Different regions of the world, any climatic zones, have their own environmental problems, without which agriculture cannot develop fully.

Fortunately, recently the governments of different countries are beginning to change the assessment of nature management. Of course, this cannot immediately change the situation in better side, but in the direction of improving the environmental situation, various activities are being carried out.

Work is underway to preserve important biological organisms, create clean fertilizers, and clean the soil and water from chemicals.
Humus is replacing chemical fertilizers, chemical-based pesticides and herbicides are being phased out en masse.
acquires a significant role. Many countries are beginning to grow plants without the use of soil. During the sale, they are even marked with special markers.

All this is important for the improvement and development of agriculture in Russia and around the world.