A short message about agriculture. Agricultural development: features, characteristics and requirements

Agriculture- a branch of the economy aimed at providing the population with food (food, food) and obtaining raw materials for a number of industries. The industry is one of the most important, represented in almost all countries. World agriculture employs about 1 billion economically active population (EAP). The food security of the state depends on the state of the industry. The problems of agriculture are directly or indirectly related to such sciences as agronomy, animal husbandry, land reclamation, plant growing, forestry, etc.

The emergence of agriculture is associated with the so-called "Neolithic revolution" in the means of production, which began about 12 thousand years ago and led to the emergence of a productive economy and the subsequent development of civilization.

The role of agriculture in the economy of a country or region shows its structure and level of development. As indicators of the role of agriculture, the share of those employed in agriculture among the economically active population, as well as the share of agriculture in the structure of gross domestic product, is used. These figures are quite high in most developing countries, where more than half of the economically active population is employed in agriculture. Agriculture there follows an extensive path of development, that is, an increase in production is achieved by expanding the area under crops, increasing the number of livestock, and increasing the number of people employed in agriculture. In such countries, whose economies are of the agrarian type, the indicators of mechanization, chemicalization, melioration, etc. are low.

The agriculture of the developed countries of Europe and North America, which have entered the post-industrial stage, has reached the highest level. Agriculture employs 2-6% of the economically active population there. In these countries, the "green revolution" took place as early as the middle of the 20th century, agriculture is characterized by a scientifically based organization, increased productivity, the use of new technologies, agricultural machinery systems, pesticides and mineral fertilizers, the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology, robotics and electronics, that is, develops in an intensive way. cooperation agro-industrial agriculture

Similar progressive changes are also taking place in industrial countries, but the level of intensification in them is still much lower, and the share of people employed in agriculture is higher than in post-industrial ones. At the same time, in developed countries there is a crisis of overproduction of food, and in agrarian countries, on the contrary, one of the most acute problems is the food problem (the problem of malnutrition and hunger).

Developed agriculture is one of the factors of the country's security, as it makes it less dependent on other countries. For this reason, agriculture is supported and subsidized in developed, industrial countries, although from an economic point of view it would be more profitable to import products from less developed countries.

Consider the place and importance of the agricultural sector in the country's economy.

The main source of food is agriculture, which is one of the most important sectors of the economy of any state. It produces over 12% of the gross social product and over 15% of Russia's national income, and concentrates 15.7% of fixed production assets.

Self-sufficiency in food depends on the state of agriculture, which provides vital products: food and raw materials for the production of consumer goods.

Food production, distribution, exchange and consumption are the basis for the functioning of the economic system of the state. It is closely connected with the life of the main subject and object of economic activity - people, labor.

Agricultural production is the main component of the agro-industrial complex of the state. Its essential difference from most sectors of the economy is that it is less efficient in comparison with them. The capital invested in it brings less profit. Therefore, low-income agriculture is not able to participate on an equal footing (compared to industry) in intersectoral competition without external support.

Agriculture is characterized by conservatism and inelasticity, inadequate response to market conditions and requirements. So, with an increase in demand for agricultural products, agricultural production with its features excludes the possibility of a quick response and an increase in output. There are a number of restrictions on increasing the growth rate of agricultural production. It is impossible to significantly increase the area of ​​cultivated land, even with increased investment. This is due to the natural limitation of agricultural land. The growth in the number of livestock, especially broodstock, is associated with a rather long time period for many animal species. Thus, it takes about three years to raise a dairy herd for milk production. It takes more than five years to create a fruit-bearing garden, vineyards - at least three years. The scale of solving the problem of ensuring food security affects all areas of the agro-industrial complex and the interests of the population as a whole.

Agricultural policy, in turn, is part of the general economic policy of the country. Along with the concept of agrarian policy, the concepts of agricultural, food, agro-industrial policy are used to denote the activities of the state in relation to the branches of the agro-industrial complex.

Agricultural policy is divided into agricultural (in favor of producers) and food (in favor of consumers). At the same time, the state is considered as an intermediary between taxpayers (consumers of products) and rural producers. Agriculture compared to other industries National economy a more vital function is assigned, since the consumption of food is the primary need of each person and society as a whole.

The aggravation of the food problem makes the development of agriculture, related industries, the development of agrarian relations and agrarian policy extremely urgent.

It should be noted that problems in Russian Federation are regionally differentiated, and the emerging threats have a pronounced regional character: the unemployment rate, food security, debt on wages and pensions. Therefore, a differentiated approach to solving specific economic issues related to food supply is especially important, depending on the capabilities and characteristics of each region.

Thus, 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 (s / x) - a branch of the national economy aimed at providing the population with food and obtaining raw materials for a number of industries. The industry is one of the most important, represented in almost all countries. World agriculture employs about 1.1 billion economically active population (EAP).

Agriculture - land cultivation (to obtain / increase yields) and cultivation of domestic animals. Humans need crops for food, feeding animals and obtaining fiber (cotton and sisal). Animals are raised for wool, milk, meat, or organic waste (as fuel). Agriculture ranges from small subsidiary farms and farms to large agricultural artels and collective farms.

Short description

Agriculture originated in Central Asia and Egypt at least 10 thousand years ago. Agricultural communities became the backbone social order in China, India, Europe, Mexico and Peru, and then spread throughout the world. The reorganization of \ x on a scientific basis took place in Europe in the 18th century in response to a significant increase in population. Mechanization set the stage for significant agricultural progress in Europe and the United States in the 19th century. After the Second World War, there was a "boom" in the use of chemicals. However, there was opposition in society to the use of certain types of drugs, since they polluted and destroyed the environment. This stimulated the development of alternative methods, such as farming without the use of chemicals.

The emergence and development of agriculture

The emergence of agriculture is associated with the Neolithic Revolution, which is the transition from the economy of the Golden Age to the one that leads agriculture. This led to the creation of cultivated plants and the domestication (domestication) of animals (cows). M. I. Vavilov identified 8 centers of origin of cultivated plants, and his students and followers identified 4 centers of animal domestication. Plants and animals that appeared in these centers then spread to most of the earth's land.

The role of agriculture in the economy

Cultivation of arable land with a tractor (Sweden)

Cultivation with livestock (Indonesia)

The role of agriculture in the economy of a country or region shows its structure and level of development. As an indicator of the role of agriculture in the economy, the share of the economically active population employed in agriculture, as well as the share of agriculture in the structure of GDP, is used. These figures are quite high in most developing countries, where more than half of the EAP (economically active population) is employed in agriculture. Agriculture in such countries is extensive way development, that is, an increase in production is achieved by expanding acreage, increasing the number of cattle, increasing the number of people employed in agriculture. In such countries, whose economies are of the agrarian type, the indicators of mechanization, chemicalization, melioration, etc. are low.

The agriculture of the developed countries of Europe and North America, which have entered the post-industrial stage, has reached the highest level. Only 2-6% of EAN is employed in agriculture there. In these countries, the "green revolution" took place in the middle of the twentieth century, the agriculture of this group of countries is characterized by a scientifically based organization, increased productivity, the use of new technologies, agricultural machinery systems, pesticides and mineral fertilizers, the use of genetic engineering and biotechnology, robotics and electronics, is developing according to intensive way.

Similar progressive changes are also taking place in industrial countries, but the level of intensification in them is still much lower, and the share of people employed in agriculture is higher than in post-industrial ones.

At the same time, in developed countries there is a crisis of food overproduction, and in agrarian countries, on the contrary, one of the most acute problems is the food problem (the problem of malnutrition and hunger).

Branch and regional features of agriculture

As a branch of agriculture, agriculture has the following main features:

1. The economic process of reproduction is intertwined with the natural process of growth and development of living organisms, developing on the basis of biological laws.
2. The cyclical process of natural growth and development of plants and animals determined the seasonality of agricultural labor.
3. Unlike industry technological process in agriculture is closely connected with nature, where the land acts as the main means of production.

Experts note that 78% earth's surface have serious natural disadvantages for the development of agriculture, 13% of the areas are characterized by low productivity, 6% medium and only 3% high.

Currently, about 11% of all land is processed, another 24% is used for pastures. Features of the agro-resource situation and the specialization of agriculture differ significantly by region. There are several thermal zones, each of which is characterized by a peculiar set of crop and livestock industries:

Farmers cultivate a rice field in Andhra Pradesh, India.

1. cold belt occupies vast areas in the north of Eurasia and North America. The development of agriculture here is limited by lack of heat and permafrost. Crop production here is possible only under closed ground conditions. Reindeer husbandry is mainly developed on these unproductive pastures.
2. cool belt covers vast territories of Eurasia and North America, as well as a narrow strip in the south of the Andes in South America. Insignificant heat resources impose serious restrictions on the range of crops that can be grown here (early crops - brown bread, vegetables, some root crops, early potatoes). Agriculture has a focal character.
3. temperate zone in the southern hemisphere it is represented in Patagonia, on the coast of Chile, the islands of Tasmania and New Zealand, and in the northern hemisphere it occupies almost all of Europe (except for the southern peninsulas), southern Siberia and the Far East, Mongolia, Tibet, northeast China, south Canada, north - eastern states of the USA. This is the belt of mass farming. Arable land occupies almost all the territories suitable for the relief, its specific area reaches 60-70%. A wide range of cultivated crops is possible here: wheat, barley, rye, oats, flax, potatoes, vegetables, root crops, fodder grasses. The southern part of the belt is dominated by corn, sunflower, rice, grapes, fruit and fruit trees. The area of ​​pastures is limited; they dominate in the mountains and arid zones, where transhumance and camel breeding are developed.
4. warm belt corresponds to the subtropical geographical zone, it covers all continents except Antarctica, in particular: the Mediterranean, most of the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, southern Africa and Australia, southern China. Two crops a year are grown here: in winter - crops temperate zone(cereals, vegetables), in summer - tropical annuals (cotton) or perennials (olive tree, citrus fruits, tea, Walnut, figs, etc.). Low-productive pastures degrading from uncontrolled grazing dominate here.
5. hot belt occupies vast expanses of Africa, South America, northern and central Australia, the Malay Archipelago, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia. The coffee tree, date palm, sweet potato, cassava, etc. are grown. In the subarid zones there are huge pastures with poor vegetation.

Structure of agriculture

Agriculture is part of the agro-industrial complex and includes the following main sectors:

1. Plant growing. The industry is divided into sub-sectors according to the type of plants grown:
   • cereals etc.)
   • legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.);
   • fodder crops (annual and perennial grasses, silage crops, fodder root crops, fodder melons and gourds);
   • industrial crops: a) food crops (sugar cane, sugar beet, starch-containing crops, medicinal plants), b) textile crops (cotton, flax, jute, hemp), c) rubber plants (hevea);
   • vegetable and melon crops: a) potatoes, b) leafy crops (cabbage, lettuce, spinach, dill, leaf parsley, etc.). c) fruit crops (tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, squash, eggplant, pepper); d) bulb crops (onion and garlic); e) root crops (carrots, etc.) f) gourds (watermelon, melon, pumpkin, etc.)
   • citrus etc.)
   • tonic crops (narcotic crops, tea, coffee, cocoa);
   • oil and essential oil crops: a) oil crops (sunflower, castor oil, mustard, rapeseed, sesame, red (plant), hemp, flax, coconut palm, oil palm, olive tree), b) essential oil crops (coriander, anise, cumin and etc.)
   • viticulture;
   • gardening;
   • mushroom growing.
2. animal husbandry
   • animal husbandry (cattle breeding);
   • sheep breeding;
   • goat breeding;
   • horse breeding;
   • beekeeping;
   • jmilnitstvo;
   • fur farming;
   • mariculture
   • reindeer herding;
   • poultry farming;
   • camel breeding;
   • sericulture;
   • pig breeding;
   • fish farming;
   • rabbit breeding;
3. Fishing.

Environmental problems of agriculture

Elevator in the USA

Agriculture has a greater impact on the natural environment than any other branch of the national economy. The reason for this is that agriculture requires huge areas. As a result, the landscapes of entire continents are changing, for example, the agrolandscape completely changed the Great Chinese Plain, where subtropical forest once grew, passing in the north into the Ussuriysk taiga, and in the south into the jungles of Indochina. In Europe, the agricultural landscape has replaced broad-leaved forests; in Ukraine, arable land has replaced steppes.

Agricultural landscapes turned out to be unstable, which led to a number of local and regional environmental disasters. Thus, improper reclamation caused soil salinization and the loss of most of the cultivated land in Mesopotamia, widespread plowing caused dust storms in Kazakhstan and the United States, grazing and agriculture led to desertification in the Sahel zone in Africa.

Agriculture has the greatest impact on the natural environment. Its influence factors are as follows:

• reduction of natural vegetation to farmland;
• processing (pubescence) of the soil, especially with the use of a moldboard plow;
• the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides;
• land reclamation.

And Great influence on the soil leads to:

• destruction of soil ecosystems;
• loss of humus;
• destruction of the structure and compaction of the soil;
• water and wind erosion of soils;

There are certain farming methods and technologies that mitigate or completely eliminate negative factors, for example, precision farming technologies.

Animal husbandry affects nature less. Its influence is:

• overgrazing - that is, livestock grazing on pastures in quantities that exceed the system's ability to recover;
• unprocessed waste of livestock complexes.

Common violations caused by agricultural activities include:

• pollution of surface waters (rivers, lakes, seas) and degradation of aquatic ecosystems during eutrophication;
• groundwater pollution;
• deforestation and degradation forest ecosystems(deforestation);
• violation of the water regime in large areas (during drainage or irrigation);
• desertification as a result of a complex violation of the structure of soils and vegetation;
• destruction natural places habitats of many species of living organisms and, as a result, the extinction and disappearance of rare species.

In the second half of the 20th century, another problem became relevant: a decrease in the content of vitamins and microelements in crop production and accumulation in both crop and livestock products, harmful substances(nitrates, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc.). The reason for this is soil degradation, which leads to a decrease in the level of trace elements and intensification of production, especially in animal husbandry.

corresponding to its low quality level. V

In agriculture, an insufficient level of mechanization remains. Thus, the harvesting of vegetables and potatoes is only partially mechanized (vegetables - by 26-30%, potatoes - by 56-60%).

General characteristics of Russian agriculture

The basis of the agro-industrial complex is agriculture, including crop production (farming) and animal husbandry. Agriculture is fundamentally different from all branches of material production. The main distinguishing features of modern agriculture in Russia: 1) the land is both the subject and the main means of production; 2) the seasonal nature of production activities, primarily in crop production; 3) low natural soil fertility in most of the country (due to the peculiarities of its physical and geographical position). Russia, mostly northern country, but with large-scale work on the cultivation of soils (requiring large material costs), it is possible to increase soil fertility in most regions of the country; 4) dependence on natural conditions, very diverse in different parts Russia and determining the assessment of a significant territory of the country as a risk zone

leg farming; 5) the extensive nature of production

(very low crop yields, livestock productivity, labor productivity in agriculture).

Suitable in modern conditions intensive way development of agriculture, allowing to ensure the growth of agricultural production through more efficient use of land, agricultural land; expanding the use of technology; mechanization of production processes; fertilizer application; application of the latest achievements of agricultural science; expansion of practice integrated use progressive methods of farming: mechanization, chemicalization (the use of fertilizers, chemicals, biostimulants), melioration (land improvement).

There are several types of land reclamation: 1) forest reclamation - the creation of shelter belts, afforestation of the slopes of ravines; 2) agromelioration - right choice depth and direction of plowing, etc.; 3) water - drainage, watering and irrigation; 4) chemical - the introduction of chemicals into the soil: lime, gypsum, etc.; 5) cultural and technical - leveling the surface, cleaning from stones. In Russia, water reclamation works still prevail, although they are the most expensive; but they too

cover only 6% of agricultural land.

The cost of water reclamation is 30 times higher than the cost of protection and rational use all other 94% of agricultural land. So far, the efficiency of land reclamation works remains low. Almost 1/3 of irrigated lands in Russia are in need of improvement and reconstruction. The maximum effect is provided by complex reclamation, i.e., the simultaneous implementation of several reclamation measures.

The natural basis of agriculture is land, and above all agricultural land.

Farmland is part of the land

land used in agriculture. They have a complex structure, a significant part of them falls on arable land, hayfields and pastures. In Russia, agricultural land occupies 220 million hectares (13% of the country's area), of which arable land - 120 million hectares (7% of the country's area), hayfields - about 20 and pastures - 60 million hectares. Their area is slowly and gradually decreasing due to an increase in the need for territories of various settlements, primarily cities, industrial and industrial construction, transport and other types of infrastructure construction. Compared to other countries of the world, Russia has a high supply of agricultural land, including arable land. Wherein

v different parts of the country specific indicators provide

the value of the inhabitants of agricultural land,

v including arable land, differ significantly, as well as their quality. The degree of agricultural development of the territory increases from north to south.

In many parts of the country, the quality of agricultural land has declined significantly. In recent decades, the quality of soils has been constantly deteriorating. Now 45% of arable land is characterized by a low content of humus, 36% by high acidity, 23% by a low content of phosphorus, 9% by a low content of potassium, which limits the level of productivity. About a quarter (23% - 1999) of agricultural land, including almost 30% of arable land, is subject to water and wind erosion. In general, 30% of agricultural land is erosion-prone. Almost all agricultural lands of the Central Black Earth and North Caucasus regions are eroded and erosion-prone, in the Volga region, Western Siberia and the Southern Urals, every third or fourth hectare of arable land is subject to erosion. Erosion remains one of the main causes of soil degradation. Due to erosion processes, Russia annually lacks up to 15–20% of crop yields on slightly eroded soils, up to 30–40% on moderately eroded soils, and 50–60% on heavily eroded ones. Droughts and processes

desertification complicates the effective use

farming land. About half of the territory of Russia suffers from periodic droughts. From 3 to 6% of the country's territory is subject to desertification processes, especially Kalmykia suffers from this (where 82% of the territory is covered by the desertification process, including 47% of the area of ​​this republic is in the stage of strong and very strong desertification).

The development and location of sub-sectors of agriculture is influenced by natural and economic factors: 1) soil quality; 2) the amount of solar heat

and Sveta; 3) atmospheric moisture, precipitation; 4) biological productivity of agricultural plants

and animals; 5) their ability to adapt to certain natural conditions; 6) availability of labor resources and production equipment. At the same time, agriculture has a strictly zonal character of location. Hence the need for zonal specialization of agriculture (see Table 1), i.e., agricultural specialization of regions.

Agricultural production is very strong

depends on agro-climatic and soil resources. Accordingly, the specialization of certain regions in different sub-sectors of agriculture is associated primarily with different natural conditions. Animal husbandry dominates in the northern part of the CIS, and

also in dry areas in the south. In areas with relative

Crop production dominates with relatively favorable natural conditions. The development of crop production in the northern regions is hindered by poor agro-climatic and soil conditions, in the southern regions - a lack of water resources. To solve the first problem, plant varieties that are more undemanding to natural conditions are gradually being developed, and powerful irrigation systems are being created to solve the second.

Each economic region has its own set of branches of agricultural specialization (see Table 34). Factors that determine the agricultural specialization of regions: 1) natural conditions area (provision of light, heat, moisture, soil quality, etc.) and the requirements of plants for these conditions; 2) the labor intensity of production processes, i.e., the provision of the region with labor resources, and the labor intensity of specific sub-sectors of agriculture; 3) the transportability of agricultural products and the possibility of their storage, the presence of enterprises for its processing and the conditions for exporting products to other areas.

1990s were extremely difficult for Russian agriculture. The volume of agricultural production decreased. The index of the physical volume of agricultural production in comparable prices compared to the previous year amounted to 112.3%

v 1970, 99.2% in 1980, 96.4% in 1990, 88.0% in

1994, but since 1995 it began to increase and was equal to 107.7% in 2000 (including agricultural enterprises - 106.5%, household households - 107.9 and peasant or farm enterprises - 121 ,eight %). The collection of grain, flax fiber, sugar beets, potatoes, fruits and berries, grapes, tea leaves has significantly decreased, but the collection of sunflower seeds and vegetables has increased. The yield of sugar beet increased somewhat, but in general the yield of all crops was not stable: it fell a little, then grew a little. In general, the yield of all agricultural crops remained 2-4 times and more lower than in developed foreign countries.

WITH 1990 in Russia, the number of livestock decreased sharply - by 2 times, including cows - by 1.6 times, pigs

- 2.4 times, sheep and goats - 3.9 times. Now the number of livestock in Russia is much smaller than at the beginning of the 20th century. So,

v 1916, the number of cattle was 33 million heads, pigs - 11 million heads, sheep and goats - 47 million heads, in 2001 the number of cattle - 27 million heads, pigs - 16 million heads and 15 million heads of sheep and goats. During this period, the number of potential meat consumers increased by more than one and a half times.

crop production

Crop production, or agriculture, is a branch of agriculture, the purpose of which is the cultivation of cultivated plants used for human nutrition, human livelihoods, and also in animal husbandry. Cultivated plants are divided into several groups: 1) cereals and legumes (used for food needs and for livestock feed);

2) fodder (go to feed livestock); 3) technical (these products are processed by food and light industry); 4) perennial plantations.

Crop production provides 40% of all agricultural products in Russia: 43% - in 1970, 42% - in 1980, 37% - in 1990, 55% - in 2000. From its development, everything

where animal husbandry also depended, since its forage base is largely provided by crop production. The location of crop production in general and its individual sub-sectors is primarily influenced by the natural and climatic factor,

and then two socio-economic factors - labor intensity and historical and economic traditions (Table 75).

Table 75

Some characteristics of the main crops-

plants of Russia

It is possible to raise the volume of agricultural crop production by increasing the area under crops and increasing yields. In Russia until 1975 the sown area increased, this happened mainly due to the development of virgin and fallow lands in eastern regions North Caucasian, Volga (Trans-Volga), Ural (southern part), West Siberian regions. Since 1975, the area under crops has been reduced. Only for 1990–2000. the sown area decreased by 27%, or by 32.3 million hectares. Over the years Soviet power crop yields tended to increase, in the 1990s. the yield of most crops is sharply reduced

tilas. Producer farms strive to grow

to plant winter crops, which have a yield of 1.5–2 times or more higher than spring crops. Winter crops are sown in autumn, that is, before winter, and only where there are no excessively cold winters. Among the groups of cultivated plants in Russia, cereals and legumes are the most widespread, occupying a little more than half (53–55%) of all sown areas in the country; moreover, winter crops occupy only a third of the crops, but due to the higher yield of winter crops, it is their collection that makes up the bulk of the total grain production in the country.

It is generally accepted that a person needs 120-140 kg of grain products per year (in our conditions and based on biological nutritional standards), which means that you need to grow and receive about 1 ton of grain per person per year (calculations by Academician V.S. Nemchinov ). With a decrease in grain losses (up to 30% of the harvest), it is enough to have 700 kg of grain per person per year, with 400 kg a rationing system is inevitable, the distribution of products is rationed, 300 kg means hunger. In 1992 and 1993

v Russia per person received a little more than 700 kg of grain per year, and in 1995 (barren) - 428 kg (as

v 1948 or as at the beginning of the 20th century), then the situation improved somewhat (according to Gladky Yu.N., 1999). There is not enough grain in Russia, and she is forced to buy it abroad, and the volume of purchases is approximately equal to the volume

grain losses during its collection, transportation, storage

research institutes. The shortage of fodder grain (grain used for livestock needs) exacerbates the shortage of grain in Russia used to feed the population.

Natural and economic factors determined the bulk of the grain harvest (75–80%) in five economic regions of the country: the North Caucasus, the Volga region, the Urals (53–60% in total), the Central Black Earth, and the West Siberian (Table 76) .

Table 76

Gross grain harvest by economic regions of Russia

Source: Russian Statistical Yearbook, 2001, Moscow, 2001, pp. 408–410.

In Russia, the main and most common food crop is wheat - winter and spring, soft and hard varieties. Soft varieties of wheat have high baking qualities, but the content of proteins (determining nutrition) in them

10–15% versus 20–25% in durum wheat

tsy. Increasing the protein content in wheat by 1% makes it possible to satisfy the annual need for vegetable protein of 13–16 million people. The harvest of wheat is half total production grain in Russia, while wheat crops exceed the total area under all other grains and legumes. Winter wheat crops are found only in the European part of Russia, mainly in the steppe and forest-steppe regions, in the North Caucasus, Volga region (middle and lower right bank of the Volga region) and in the Central Chernozem region. The main spring wheat growing areas are in southern parts Ural, West Siberian and East Siberian, Volga (Trans-Volga) and North Caucasian (Rostov region) economic regions.

Barley is the second (20%) grain crop in Russia in terms of production, its crops are distributed almost everywhere in Russia. This is a relatively unpretentious culture, tolerates cold, heat, arid climate. According to its crops, the boundaries of circumpolar agriculture on open ground are determined. Barley

- the northernmost grain crop in Russia (it is followed by rye). Barley is sown in all areas because it tolerates and low temperatures and frost and drought. In Russia, barley in the first place

is evaluated as a fodder (forage) crop, on the basis of

where concentrated animal feed is produced, but barley is also used for the production of cereals, concentrates, beer, and some other products. Russia ranks fifth in the world in barley production.

Rye is used as a food crop,

a also for livestock feed. Winter rye is one of the most important food crops in Russia. During the tsarist period, rye crops were much larger than now, since the need for it was much higher (rye, not wheat bread, most Russians ate every day). Rye requires less heat than winter wheat (but rye is inferior to it in terms of nutritional qualities). Rye requires higher temperatures at the beginning of its growth than barley. It needs less heat and moisture than winter wheat. Now Russia ranks first in the world in the collection of rye. The main economic regions of its cultivation: Volga region (Ulyanovsk and Samara regions, as well as the Republic of Tatarstan), Central, Volga-Vyatka, Ural (Perm region and the Republic of Udmurtia).

Oats are used as food and fu-

racial culture. In the tsarist period, its importance as a forage crop was very great (it was oats that they sought to feed horses, and then in Russia they

there were a lot of these). Oats stand out high

feed and nutritional qualities. Oats are primarily a forage crop. It was the feed unit of oats that was taken as the standard for evaluating the feed units of other crops. Oats stand low temperatures, undemanding to soils, tolerates acidic soils. It is mainly grown in the forest zone (in the subzone mixed forests) of the European part of Russia and in the forest-steppe zone. The main economic regions for growing oats are: Volga, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, Ural, West Siberian and East Siberian, Far East. Russia ranks first in the world in oat production.

Corn is a high-yielding, heat-loving and moisture-loving grain crop. In the southern regions of Russia, it is sown for grain, and in the northern regions - to obtain a large amount of juicy green mass for livestock feed, for making silage. Flour, cereals, corn flakes are obtained from corn grain, starch, oil, molasses, alcohol and cellulose are produced. The main areas for growing corn: North Caucasus and Central Chernozem.

Rice is the most productive grain crop (yield is up to 35 c/ha). It is a heat-loving and water-loving culture. It is grown in the lower reaches of the rivers: in the Volga delta, the lower reaches of the Kuban, as well as in the Pri-

sea ​​region in the Khanka lowland. Basic-

A large rice crop is obtained in three economic regions: the Volga region (Astrakhan region), in the North Caucasus region (Rostov region and Krasnodar region, Dagestan), Far East (Primorsky Territory).

Millet, like rice, is a cereal grain. It is a low-yielding crop (7-10 q/ha), heat-loving and soil-demanding crop, but it is the most drought-resistant grain crop in Russia. The main economic regions of millet cultivation are: North Caucasus, Volga (Lower Volga), Ural (southern part).

Buckwheat belongs to cereal grain crops, and also has a low yield (4–6 q/ha). Buckwheat stands out for its high nutritional qualities; according to them, it is not inferior to soft wheat and surpasses it in vitamin content. In addition, it has a high honey content. The yield of buckwheat increases when it is pollinated by bees, but bees do not live in ecologically polluted areas. This feature contributes to a decrease in the yield of buckwheat, which is grown almost everywhere, except for the extreme northern parts, southern semi-deserts and deserts of the country. The main zones of its cultivation are forest (zone of mixed forests) and forest-steppe.

Peas, lentils, beans, soybeans - the most common

leguminous foodstuffs imported into Russia

nye crops, but their gross harvest is small. Most-

Pea crops are widespread in the neck (2/3 of the area), the main area of ​​its cultivation includes the Central, Central Chernozem, Volga-Vyatka, Povolzhsky economic regions. A valuable oilseed crop is soybean (the second largest crop after sunflower). Oil is obtained from soybean, a raw material for the food industry, it is also an effective fodder crop. Soybeans are mainly grown in the Far East region (Amur region, Khabarovsk Territory, Primorye).

Sown grasses are of great importance in the feed ration of animal husbandry - clover, lupine, vetch, timothy. Like legumes, they enrich the soil with nitrogen in crop rotations, therefore they are effective predecessors in the fields for other crops.

Of the technical types of cultivated plants,

produce food products: vegetable oil, sugar, molasses, as well as medicines and light industry products.

Now Russia occupies the seventh (1999) place in the world in the collection of sugar beets, in the collection of flax fiber it is in second place (after Ukraine), in the collection of sunflower seeds it is one of the leaders. Nevertheless, Russia does not satisfy its needs at the expense of domestic producers.

sti in sugar beets and sugar, sunflower seeds

nickel and vegetable oil, flax fiber and vegetable fibers for the textile industry. Industrial crops occupy a smaller area than grain crops.

Growing industrial crops is complicated by: 1) biological characteristics, expressed in more stringent requirements for heat, moisture, light, physical and chemical composition of soils; 2) the complexity of growing most industrial crops; 3) the capital intensity of most industrial crops.

In fact, each industrial crop requires the use of special tools, including harvesting machines (flax harvesters, beet harvesters, cotton harvesters, potato harvesters, etc.). In addition, a number of industrial crops require special facilities (for example, special reservoirs or enterprises for soaking fiber flax, industrial enterprises for primary processing of grown raw materials, etc.).

Industrial crops include sugar-bearing crops (sugar beet), fibrous crops (fiber flax, cotton), oilseeds (sunflower, castor oil, mustard, curly flax) and essential oil crops (mint, anise). Industrial crops occupy a small share in

sown areas in Russia.

Sunflower is the most common industrial crop in Russia and the leading oilseed crop. 90% of Russian vegetable oil is produced from sunflower seeds (the remaining 10% of the oil is obtained from mustard, curly flax, castor oil, etc.). Obtained by processing sunflower seeds into oil and cake - a high-protein concentrated feed for livestock. Green mass and immature sunflower seeds are used for silage harvesting. Sunflower crops occupy more than 70% of all plantings of industrial crops. Sunflower is demanding on heat and light, soil (powerful chernozems with a loose permeable subsoil layer are most preferable). The required sum of active temperatures during the growing season is 1600–2300 °C. The main economic regions of sunflower cultivation are: North Caucasian, Volga (Middle Volga), Central Black Earth, Ural (Orenburg region) (Table 77).

The cultivation of other oilseeds is less common in Russia. Curly flax (or oil flax) is sown mainly in the Volga, North Caucasus, West Siberian economic regions, mustard - in the Volga region (Volgograd and Saratov regions), North Caucasus (Rostov region, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territory) areas.

Kleshchevin - mainly in the North Caucasian

Table 77

Gross harvest of sunflower seeds by economic regions of Russia

Source: Russian Statistical Yearbook,

2001. M., 2001. S. 411.

Flax is the most important fibrous crop in Russia. Linen fabrics are made from the resulting flax fiber, which are in high demand in our country and abroad, in addition, summer hats and caps are made from it, and artistic products are woven for decorating interiors. Flax requires cool cloudy overcast weather, it is very moisture-loving (it grows well during rainy and cool summer) does not tolerate heat. It grows at the sum of active temperatures during the vegetative period at the level of 950-1030 °C. Sowing flax is associated with a number of additional organizational and technological actions. In the fields of flax predecessors, it is desirable to have crops that enrich the soil with nitrogen (usually clover and vetch-oat mixture), and well-cultivated soils are needed. Fiber flax is susceptible to fungal diseases (which significantly reduces the quality of plant fibers); because of this, it can be sown in one field no more than once every 7–8 years. This, in turn, limits flax crops, which occupy only up to 12–15% of the cultivated area of ​​farms. Long flax is a rather labor-intensive crop, and in the Non-Chernozem region, where the conditions for its cultivation are better, the population has declined sharply in recent decades and the population density in rural areas has turned out to be very low, which

which complicates the cultivation of this crop. Main

economic areas for growing fiber flax: Central, Northern, Volga-Vyatka, North-West, as well as the Urals and West Siberian (ta-

Table 78

Gross harvest of flax fiber by economic regions of Russia

Source: Russian Statistical Yearbook, 2001. M., 2001. P. 410.

Sugar beet is the only sugar-bearing crop in Russia (raw sugar is obtained from it, then refined sugar). Sugar beet is grown as an industrial crop (for sugar production), as well as forage (there are special varieties of

washing beets). Sugar beet is quite moody

culture: requires good cultivated soils (preferably chernozem soils), a sufficiently humid climate (moisture-loving culture), moreover, a climate

With long warm period. For sugar beet during the growing season - 150–170 days – the sum of active temperatures of 2200–2400 °C is required. It grows best in the forest-steppe zone. Another feature of growing sugar beets is labor intensity. The main economic regions for growing sugar beet: Central Black Earth, North Caucasian, Volga, West Siberian ( Altai region) (Table 79).

Potato and vegetable crops. Carto-

fel is undemanding to heat (the sum of active temperatures of the growing season of 1200–1800 °C is sufficient), moreover, high temperatures reduce its yield. Particularly large areas with potato plantings are located in the suburban areas of large cities and in the vicinity of industrial centers. Potatoes grow best on chernozem soils, but other soils are also acceptable for its cultivation, especially when fertilizing.

Vegetable growing in Russia is developed everywhere. The largest crops of vegetable crops are concentrated in the North Caucasus, Central, Ural, Central Chernozem, Volga regions (especially

but in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga delta, called

praised by the All-Russian Garden for ideal conditions for the commercial production of vegetable and melon crops).

Fruit crops and grapes, subtropical crops and tea. Fruit crops and grapes are successfully grown in the North Caucasus and the Lower Volga region, as well as in Central Black Earth area (fruit). In the more northern regions, amateur and small-scale gardening is widespread. Tea and other subtropical crops (persimmons, figs, tangerines) grow only in the southern Black Sea zone of the Krasnodar Territory.

Table 79

Gross harvest of sugar beet by economic regions of Russia

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 activities. 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 areas their development - all this is valuable information for those who want to connect 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 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 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 to forest-steppe and steppe zones 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 the most different cultures. 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 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 an extremely profitable business. Only 15-20 families are enough to be profitable at the end of the season. but state support beekeeping, as, for example, in Europe, we do not have at all. 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 fish is caught 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 state sponsors start-up business and assumes part of the risks associated with its development, then we have loans peasant economy 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.