Abstract: Agriculture: a general overview. Coursework: Agriculture of the Russian Federation. The main regularities of the sectoral and territorial op Agriculture are the main

Agriculture is the main source of food and agricultural raw materials in the world. It is designed to meet the growing needs of the population in food products, and the needs of industry in raw materials. Food, as well as its production, distribution, exchange and consumption, are an important part of the functioning of the world system and occupy a special place in the world economy and politics. Food is directly related to people's livelihoods, its shortage is perceived as a disaster. The food market determines the state of the economy and the social stability of society, so its development is controlled in all countries.

Agriculture- this is not only the oldest, but also a fairly common occupation of people. Currently, more than 1 billion economically active people are employed in world agriculture. World agriculture accounts for about 5% of the world product.

As an industry, agriculture has certain specifics:

characterized by social heterogeneity and diversity of forms of ownership
the use of land as the main means of production. In agriculture, the land serves not only as the basis for the location of the economy, but is used as a direct resource, the fertility of the land is important
agricultural production is highly dependent on natural conditions. Even in developed countries, the results of agricultural production are unpredictable. Droughts, floods, pests, diseases make the agricultural sector a rather risky industry
seasonality of agricultural production. For this reason, a significant part of the agricultural machinery and labor force is idle for a long time and is under maximum load for short periods.
spatial dispersal of agricultural production, i.e. production is carried out over large areas, which increases transportation costs
living organisms (plants and animals) are used as means of production, which makes it necessary to take into account the biological laws of development. This leads to the expansion of production over time.

One of the most important regularities in the development of the agrarian sector is the strengthening of the integration of agriculture with service industries, resulting in the formation of an agro-industrial complex (AIC).

As you know, the agro-industrial complex includes 4 areas:

industries serving agriculture that supply the means of production. Their main function is to maintain the techno-economic efficiency of agricultural production. These are branches of agricultural engineering, chemical, feed industry, etc.
branches of agriculture - crop production and animal husbandry. They are directly involved in the production of agricultural products.
industries for processing, storage, transportation and marketing of agricultural products. These are the food industry, packaging and warehousing, transport, wholesale and retail trade. The main task is to bring products to the consumer
infrastructure of the agro-industrial complex - a set of various industries, institutions, organizations that ensure the normal, uninterrupted functioning of all parts of the agro-industrial complex. These are various road organizations, the credit system, the banking network, intermediary, investment companies, etc.

There is no need to talk about the exclusive role of agriculture. Even the ancient Greek scholar Xenophon said that:

“... agriculture is the mother and breadwinner of all other crafts. When agriculture is well managed, all other trades flourish, but when agriculture is neglected, all other trades decline.”

These words have not lost their relevance today.

The development of agriculture in the world is determined by a number of reasons that determine the exceptional role of agricultural production in the world. These functions of the global agricultural sector include the following:

the need to feed an extremely rapidly growing population on the planet, especially in developing countries
the need to strengthen the raw material base of industry. Industrialization, not based on a corresponding expansion of the agrarian basis, with the weakness and instability of the latter, also becomes fragile.
agriculture acts as a supplier of labor and capital for other sectors of the world economy
agriculture serves as a source of currency, and for most developing countries the main one. Such countries are supported only by the export of agricultural goods. For example, in Guatemala it is bananas and coffee, in Chad it is cotton, etc.

The wealth of functions performed by world agriculture places many demands on the industry. And these are not only economic problems, but also the problems of using natural resources, the need to maintain an ecological balance in the environment. It is possible to fully appreciate the importance of agriculture in the global economy only by tracing the main patterns of the long-term development of the industry.

Branches of agriculture: animal husbandry and crop production

There are two main branches of agriculture: animal husbandry and crop production.

animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with the breeding of farm animals for the production of livestock products.

The main branches of animal husbandry:

Cattle breeding - breeding of cattle (cattle).
Pig breeding.
Goat and sheep breeding. These directions are most widespread in the steppe zones, as well as in mountainous regions.
Horse breeding - provides the national economy with thoroughbred breeding animals, athletic and productive.
Camel breeding - provides the national economy in desert and semi-desert regions with wool and milk.
Reindeer breeding.
Poultry farming.
Fur farming - provides the national economy with skins of small fur-bearing animals.
Beekeeping is a branch of agriculture that is engaged in breeding honey bees to obtain honey, beeswax and other products, as well as to pollinate crops in order to increase their yield.

crop production is the branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation of cultivated plants. Crop products are used as a source of food for the population, as feed in animal husbandry, as a raw material in many industries (especially in the food, textile, pharmaceutical and perfume industries), as well as for ornamental (floriculture) and many other purposes.

The main branches of crop production:

Grain farming is of paramount importance for any state in the world, including our country. Bread can be considered the staple food of man. The most valuable feed for farm animals is also produced from grain crops.
Feed production is a system of activities aimed at the manufacture, procurement and processing of animal feed. In this case, the land is used for growing mainly meadow crops, root crops, tubers, melons, etc.
Cultivation of industrial crops - cotton, flax, sunflower, sugar beet, tobacco, etc.
Vegetable and potato growing.
Viticulture and horticulture.

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 rest of the territories are occupied by forests and shrubs, tundra, mountain ranges, i.e. agriculturally unsuitable lands.

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. Therefore, land reclamation is becoming increasingly important - 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- 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 to 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, the Southern Urals, the south of Western Siberia and the Far East) - spring wheat.

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 north, south and southeast further than other grain crops.

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, like oats, it 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 in terms of 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 the production of 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 industry's gross output. Despite a serious drop in production during the years of the economic crisis, today Russia is among 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)

Cattle	including cows.	Sheep and goats

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 breeding and poultry farming are developing in the suburban areas of large cities and highly urbanized areas; the azonal nature of animal husbandry 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 product of which is milk and meat. Based on their ratio, there are three main areas of cattle breeding:

§ a) dairy is based 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 is based on rough and concentrated feed and is 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 breeding provides raw materials for the textile industry and is predominantly developed in semi-deserts and mountainous areas. Sheep breeding of the fine-fleeced direction is represented in the southern steppes of the European part and in the south of Siberia, semi-fine-fleeced - 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 investment attractiveness, which makes it possible to create a wide network of processing enterprises of small capacity, equipped with modern equipment.

Characteristics of agriculture is a description of the leading branch of the agro-industrial complex.

Agricultural production is the material basis for the development of all sectors of the economy. After all, agricultural products are the first condition for the life of consumers, producers, as well as any production in general. Therefore, all changes taking place in agriculture indirectly or directly affect the economy of the entire state, and also affect the standard of living of the people living in this region.

In a market economy, the successful functioning of agricultural enterprises is impossible without analysis and planning of their activities. The characteristic of agriculture is the basis for the assessment and analysis of the industry.

There are no standard rules for writing it. The characteristic of agriculture is a generalization of the trends in the development of the industry, factors influencing its development and existing problems.

Agriculture is characterized by a high level of dependence on natural and weather conditions. Therefore, when compiling a characteristic, it is necessary to describe the natural prerequisites for the development of this industry. It is necessary to describe the land resources of the region. Since the land for agriculture is the main means of production.

For a clear idea of the level of development of the industry, when writing a characteristic, it is necessary to determine what type of farming prevails in a given territory. There are many types, which are combined into two groups:

Commercial type agriculture. Includes intensive animal husbandry and agriculture, as well as livestock grazing.
- Consumer-type agriculture. More backward. Includes grazing, hoe and plow farming, rarely nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralism, and hunting, gathering, and fishing.

I type of management prevails in economically developed countries. The development of a high level in agriculture is based on the achievements of the scientific and technological revolution and the creation of an agribusiness system, which is represented by medium and small businesses.

The second type of management is represented mainly in developing countries. But it is worth noting that in these countries there are farms and plantations (mostly small businesses), which are related to the commodity economy.

The structure of agriculture in this region is described below. The leading industries are indicated depending on the contribution to the gross output. Economically significant and promising areas of agriculture are noted.

There are two main branches in agriculture:
1. Crop production, which is divided into the production of non-food and food crops. Cost-effective production of cereals. Oilseeds are next in popularity, followed by sugar crops. And in last place are vegetable and fruit crops.
2. Livestock. Popular: cattle breeding (cattle), pig breeding, sheep breeding, poultry farming and fishing.

In conclusion, the trends, prospects and problems of the development of the region's industry are noted.

When analyzing agriculture, attention should also be paid to environmental problems. After all, through the formation of anthropogenic landscapes, people influence the environment. The main types of impact on natural biocenoses during agricultural work are plowing of land and destruction of forests. In addition, there is environmental degradation, loss of land, soil erosion and water scarcity due to the abuse of intensive technologies in agriculture.

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 sector of the economy are agricultural production cooperatives (SPK), joint-stock companies (JSC), limited liability companies (LLC), and farms.

Agriculture is a special area of the economy, radically different from all other areas, since the main means of production in agriculture is land. With rational use in agriculture, 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 of labor, consumption and use of material and financial resources throughout the year.

Agriculture, unlike other areas, is very dependent on natural factors. They affect 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 the required amount of heat, light, moisture, present their own requirements for soil quality. This also determines the peculiarities of their distribution not only by region, but also within individual farms. Natural factors through the forage base also affect the location 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 in the location and specialization of agriculture are the quality of soils, the duration of the frost-free period, the sum of active temperatures (heat supply), total solar radiation (light supply), moisture conditions, precipitation, the probability of recurrence of unfavorable meteorological conditions (drought, frost, wind and water erosion), availability of water resources, topographical conditions of the area, etc. To a greater extent, natural factors influence the location of crop growing industries, and to a different extent, determining the areas of their cultivation. For a number of crops (mainly thermophilic), these areas are extremely limited, for example, for 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 location of animal husbandry, manifesting themselves through the forage base. The most dependent on natural and climatic conditions is pastoral animal husbandry (some areas of sheep breeding, cattle breeding; reindeer breeding, horse breeding, etc.). Here we can distinguish such factors as the presence of pastures, their size, composition of vegetation and the duration of the period of their use.

For the location of agriculture is also extremely important socio-demographic factors . The population is the main consumer of agricultural products; there are regional peculiarities in the structure of consumption of these products. 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 of labor resources (taking into account the labor skills of the population), one or another agricultural production 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 these products. Increased population migration in a number of regions currently limits the production of labor-intensive products. An important factor in accommodation and specialization are also the interests of the local population, which in the past were not sufficiently taken into account. In a number of cases, socio-demographic factors significantly limit the possibility of production, affect the export of many types of products, which was previously determined by the planned volumes of deliveries to the all-Union fund.

to the most significant economic factors location and specialization of agriculture can be attributed to the location of farms in relation to the consumer, the availability 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, the development of interregional relations, the level of scientific and technological progress.

Agriculture in Russia is characterized by a large scale of production. The volume of agricultural production in 2009 amounted to 2515.2 billion rubles. Most of the households produce households - 47.1%, agricultural enterprises - 45.4% and 7.5% are provided by farms. Russia ranks second in the production of sugar beets, third in the world in the production of potatoes, fourth in the production of grain and leguminous crops, fifth in milk production, sixth in the production of livestock and poultry for slaughter, seventh in animal oil.

In 2009, the gross grain harvest amounted to 97.1 million tons (in 2008 - 108.2 million tons), sugar beet - 24.9 million tons, sunflower - 6.5 million tons, potatoes - 31.1 million tons , vegetables - 13.4 million tons. Sown area - 77805 thousand hectares, including under grain - 47553 thousand hectares, under industrial crops - 8962 thousand hectares. The production of livestock and poultry for slaughter (in carcass weight) amounted to 6.7 million, milk - 32.6 million tons, eggs - 39.4 billion pieces. In animal husbandry, 99.2 million tons of feed were consumed, including 42.7 million tons of concentrated feed.

Households of the population produce 81% of potatoes, 72% of vegetables, more than half of meat and milk. Agricultural organizations produce 78% of grain, 89% of sugar beet, 55% of sunflower seeds, 76% of eggs.

In Russia, the level of crop yields is very low: grain yield in 2009 - 22.7 (2002 - 19.6) centners per hectare, sugar beet - 323, sunflower - 11.5, potatoes - 143, vegetables - 199 qs ha. Milk yield per cow - 4592 liters per year. This is 2-2.5 times lower than in developed countries, even in areas with similar natural and climatic conditions. In terms of labor productivity in agriculture, our country is 3-4 times behind the economically developed countries.

The social problems of the countryside are very acute: 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 is more lean 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 almost all the main types of agricultural products here, 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, high losses and poor product quality.

Russia is relatively well provided with agricultural land, but their size is constantly decreasing, due to the withdrawal of land for industrial, transport, housing and communal construction, and in recent years, the unprofitability of agricultural production. Gradually, the size of the area of agricultural land and arable land per capita is also decreasing.

The main branches of agriculture are plant growing and animal husbandry, in which sub-sectors are distinguished: grain farming, fodder production, production of industrial 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 49.2% 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 cereals, it accounts for more than a third of the value of gross crop production and almost a third of all animal feed. The industry also has a huge social significance, since bakery products form 40% of the daily requirement of the human diet for food. Grain is the main source of income for the vast majority of rural producers. The industry forms a significant part of the country's budget.

In recent years, there has been a decrease in yields and gross harvests of grain. This is due to the reduction in sown areas and, above all, the decrease in the intensification of agriculture. The annual removal of nutrients from the soil is five times greater than its return with mineral fertilizers.

In 2009, the gross grain harvest amounted to 97.1 million tons, the yield was 22.7 centners per 1 ha of harvested area. The profitability of grain production is 37%.

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 North Caucasus and the Central Black Earth Region. Spring wheat crops are concentrated in the Volga region, in the Southern Urals, in Siberia, the Non-Black Earth region.

Less whimsical culture - 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. Main regions of production: North Caucasus, Central Chernozem and Volga regions; barley is also grown in the Urals and Siberia.

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

Corn - a heat-loving plant, for grain it is grown in the southern regions of the country: in the North Caucasus, 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, in the Urals. Buckwheat makes high demands on the conditions of moisture, does not tolerate high air temperatures. Main production areas: Central Chernozem region, Volga region, Ural.

Rice 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, providing the needs of animals for protein.

Oilseeds in Russia are the main source of edible and technical vegetable oils. The main oilseed 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, soybean, flax-curly, mustard, and castor beans are of the greatest importance. Hemp is an important spinning and oilseed crop 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 and northwestern regions of the European part of Russia.

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

Potato it is grown almost everywhere in the country, but potato growing is a commodity industry in the Center and Western Siberia.

Major crops vegetables are located in the North Caucasus, in the Volga region, in the Central Black Earth region and some other regions. Fruits and berries are grown in the southern regions.

animal husbandry is one of the main branches of agricultural production: it provides 50.8% of gross output, accumulates 75% of fixed 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.

Efficient livestock production is impossible without the creation of a solid forage base. Feed base is the production, storage and consumption of feed for all kinds of animals and birds. The fodder base of animal husbandry depends on natural conditions and, as a result, influences the specialization of animal husbandry (raising one or another type of livestock), and the location of its individual branches. For example, the breeding of beef cattle and sheep breeding are developed 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 also depend on natural conditions and on the forage base, which ultimately affects the efficiency of production and its expediency. 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 feeding (for example, in terms of calories per year, it is only 57-61% of its level in the United States). Most of the feed comes from field forage production. 38% of arable land is occupied by forage crops, and 3/4 of the forage collection from all forage 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 meadow and pasture management in the country. Large areas are in need of land reclamation.

The situation with fodder is complicated by the fact that up to 30% of harvested fodder lose their nutritional value due to violations in the technology of harvesting and storage, not to mention physical losses. A significant part of the feed, due to insufficient quantity and improper feeding technology, 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, Russia has no analogues among developed countries, although farms are constantly experiencing a large shortage of feed.

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

The leading branch of animal husbandry is cattle breeding. In 2009, the number of cattle in Russia amounted to 20.7 million heads, including 9 million cows. 42.6% of the livestock falls on household farms. The Urals, the Volga region, Western Siberia and the North Caucasus have a large livestock. The profitability of milk production is 25%, cattle meat - minus 22%.

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 and 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 intensive beef cattle breeding 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 is common in the North Caucasus and Siberia.

Sheep breeding and goat breeding provide valuable types of products, and also contribute to an increase in the use of farmland, because they use pastures that are not suitable for other types of livestock, keeping sheep is cheaper than other animals. The number of sheep and goats in Russia totals 22 million heads, with households accounting for 58.8%. 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-fleeced (steppes of the North Caucasus, Lower Volga region, Siberia), semi-fine-fleeced (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 mountainous steppe regions of Siberia.

The most productive branch of animal husbandry is pig breeding. The number of pigs in Russia is 17.2 million heads. Pig breeding is practiced in all economic regions of the country, but it has received the greatest development in the zones of grain farming and potato growing: in the North Caucasus, in the Volga region, in the Center.

Pig farming is intensively developed in suburban areas, it makes extensive use of waste from the food industry and catering.

poultry farming - one of the fastest maturing branches in animal husbandry, has 436 million heads. The industry is located everywhere, but is mainly concentrated in the southern regions of a large grain farm.

Livestock breeding also includes the following sectors: horse breeding, maral 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 branches to an intensive path of development.

In the modern territorial structure of agricultural production, the Volga, Southern, Central and Siberian federal districts are especially distinguished. The interregional division of labor in Russian agriculture and in the agro-industrial complex as a whole is less developed than in industry. However, three main agricultural zones of Russia can be distinguished, which supply a wide range of products of this industry to the Russian market - the North Caucasus, the Central Black Earth Region and the Volga Region. Other regions also have an all-Russian specialization in the production of the most important types of agricultural products. The Urals supply grain, wool, milk to the market, Western Siberia - grain, potatoes, meat, milk, wool, and at the same time, to a large extent, satisfy their internal needs. The primary task of the remaining regions is economically justified self-sufficiency in agricultural products; they receive a significant part of food and raw materials for the processing industry from other regions. As a rule, one or three sub-sectors in the region are of interdistrict importance. These are flax and potato farming, dairy and milk and meat cattle breeding in the Center, flax breeding in the North-West, beef cattle breeding, meat and wool sheep breeding and cage fur farming in Siberia, soybean and rice cultivation, cage fur farming, antler reindeer breeding in the Far East.

It should be noted that specialization in the country's agriculture is not sufficiently developed, it is not always scientifically substantiated, there is no real market for agricultural products yet, so market factors do not affect the formation and deepening of regional specialization. In addition, the desire of the regions for complete self-sufficiency in food leads to the development of industries that do not have sufficient natural and economic conditions. The spontaneous formation of market specialization is a very long process, so the state should speed it up with the help of economic methods (credits, subsidies, etc.).

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 connect their future with natural production.

Main directions

To date, there are a huge number of areas in which you can move and develop, 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 a 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 run your 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 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 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, 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 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, you just need to realize the potential of your natural capabilities. 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 fakes, which hinders the correct formation of 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, 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 done 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 of the life cycle, raising and maintaining 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 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.