Kazandzhi A.V.

Odessa State Agrarian University

THE ROLE OF OIL AND FAT SUBCOMPLEX IN THE ECONOMY OF UKRAINE

 

In the conditions of economic instability and restructuring the national economy of Ukraine the study of industries of national economic importance is urgent. Among which the important place is occupied by oil and fat sub-complex.

Oil and fat sub-complex is an integral part of agro-industrial complex and food industry of Ukraine. The complex structure of the sub-complex, which covers the production processes in one cycle beginning from the cultivation of oilseeds and ending the realization of oil and fat products, identifies numerous inter-branch links, significantly affecting the socio-economic development of the country as a whole. Industry is directly involved in ensuring food security both at the national level and on a global scale.

Functioning of sub-complex is associated primarily with the peculiarities of the industry, as socio-economic and natural biological system, whose main aim is the production of fat and oil products to supply the country with oil products.

Demonstrating sustainable development in recent years oil and fat sub-complex of Ukraine is a reliable foundation for the strengthening of food security of the country and the basis of the extension of its export potential. Among the factors contributing to the active development of the sub-complex it should be noted: favorable natural and climatic conditions for oilseeds cultivation, the growth of the world population, reorientation in dietary patterns of the population to the oils and fats of plant origin, the development of bioenergy that causes a sustainable demand for energy crops.

The special role of the sub-complex in the economy is stipulated by social, economic, and interdisciplinary aspects.

In the social aspect the importance of the sub-complex is determined by the production of oils and fats to meet the physiological needs of the population. In addition a production and processing of oil-bearing seed are the guarantee of population employment.

Fat and oil products have a ponderable value in the vital function of man as one of basic constituents in a structure of diet together with proteins and carbohydrates. The role of fats is determined by their high calorie content and participating in the processes of metabolism. Fats provide on the average 33% of day's energy value of ration, fats of phytogenous must occupy 30% in their structure, the basic sources of that are oils − 99,9 %.

Oil of sunflower seed is one of the main foods that has unique qualitative properties (fatty acids – stearic, linoleic, linolenic, and others, vitamins A, D, E). In addition, the production and processing of oilseeds is a guarantee of employment.

For socio-economic development of Ukraine's oil and fat production is of great importance, since oil and margarine is included in the composition of the food consumer basket, which serve the basis of the minimum consumer budget. As known, a living standard is a base state social standard that is used for estimation and guaranteeing of certain living standard of country population.

An economic aspect is expressed in that a production and processing of oil-bearing seed are the source of currency receivables for agrarian and processing enterprises, and realization of oil-bearing seed and foods of its processing to the foreign market assists realization of country export potential.

As a result of military operations in eastern Ukraine, the state lost some acreage including ones for oilseeds sowing and some powerful oil producing companies. However, despite the difficult economic and political situation in the country oil and fat sub-complex has positive trends.

Nationwide production volumes of sunflower oil in 2016 rose to 5.4 million tons and exports – 4.8 million tons. The export orientation of the industry provides significant foreign exchange earnings to the state budget. So, the volume of currency proceeds from the sale of oil products to the external market in 2016 has grown to     $ 6.2 billion [1]. Since 2011, Ukraine is the absolute world leader in the production and export of sunflower oil. In 2016, the share of Ukraine in world production of sunflower oil accounted for 23% and exports – 62% [2].

The interdisciplinary aspect is revealed in the fact that the products of oilseed processing are raw materials for other sectors of the economy, that determines their development and contributes to the formation and redistribution of labor resources.

The main product of oil seeds processing– oil is the main raw material for many industries, especially food and chemical. A by-product of oil production, in particular the cake and meal are valuable feed for farm animals.

Use of oil in bioenergetics as raw material for the production of bio-fuels attributes an oil-bearing production to industries forming bio-energetic safety, as for Ukraine so to the world on the whole, as the industry is export orientated.

An oily-fatty sub-complex in Ukraine can be reckoned to especially important component part of functioning of country economy that is confirmed by its influence on securing food and economic safety.

References:

1. Official web-site of association of "Óêðîë³ÿïðîì" [Electronic resource]. – It is access Mode: http://www.ukroilprom.org.ua.

2. Official web-site of Ministry of agriculture of the USA (United States Department of Agriculture, USDA). [Electronic resource]. – It is access Mode http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome.