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COUNTRY COMPETITIVENESS OF AN AGRO-FOOD SECTOR

OF THE SOUTH OF RUSSIA

 

Zhuravleva E. A., Doctor of Economics, Docent, Department of «Crisis management, taxes and taxation», economy faculty, the Kuban State University, Krasnodar, Russia

 

For the first time the indicator of country competitiveness was developed by the World economic forum in 1996.

The world economic forum uses multiple-factor vector models grouped in eight aggregated factors: internal economic potential, foreign economic relations, state regulation, credit and financial system, infrastructure, a control system, scientific and technical potential, manpower.

A high level of competitiveness of a country testifies about a level of development of productive forces, flexibility of an economic system capable of reorganization according to changes in the world market.

Country competitiveness unites competitiveness of the goods, competitiveness of a commodity producer and branch competitiveness.

World experience offers two base models for development of competitiveness of the country: orientation to export, import replacement.

Demand parameters a special place have (M. Porter's theory) – demand capacity, dynamics of its development, differentiation of demand for product kinds, buyers insistence to the goods and services quality.

A concept of competitiveness at a country level is competitiveness in use of resources. A country can specialize in those branches and market segments where its enterprises are rather competitive. Competitiveness of branches which have competitive advantages in a foreign market, rises prices for labor and capital in a country [3, with. 25]. The initial primary possession of manufacture factors promotes occurrence of competitive branch in a foreign market.

Great Britain and France depended on import of grain from America and Russia in the XIX-th century. Japan passed from the agriculture taxation to its subsidizing. The state established a level of procurement prices which covered material and labor costs and provided profit on 10-20% more, than on the goods intended for internal consumption in Vietnam. Gradually there was an alignment of levels of economic development of the cooperating countries and rapprochement of national economies through integration.

For example, in the USA, the income of export in agriculture makes about 4-5 billion dollars/$. From agricultural production sunflower seeds, barley, wheat, wool of sheep use the greatest demand.

The Russian foreign trade develops since Peter I when intensive development of the European market under such export items as: raw materials and agricultural production products, subjects of small-scale and manufactory manufacture (more than 40%) began. In XIX-XX centuries export promoted formation of the large domestic industry. In comparison with Holland Russia advanced Italy and Austro-Hungary in foreign trade.

Generally, Russian export of agricultural production, is carried out at the prices above the internal. Intermediary commercial structures through which passes more than 70% of export of articles of food, buying agricultural production at the cheap internal prices, realize it to foreign countries at higher prices, receiving from it high incomes, without aspiring to invest in development of agro-food sector.

Domestic producers lose from such transactions monetary resource while in the EU countries export subsidizing strengthens competitiveness of commodity producers and promotes competitiveness of agriculture.

The law grants the right to the Government of the Russian Federation to stimulate export of agricultural production, raw materials and the foodstuffs if it doesn't break competitiveness of  the home market. The home market, as well as a foreign market can be characterized as a sphere of an exchange of the goods (groups of the goods) between manufacturers and consumers, developed on the basis of division of labor and competitiveness of separate manufactures.

For increase of country competitiveness of Russia, it is necessary to change an economic system and a control system at a level of a separate enterprise, a branch, a region in a context of the world economy of current competitiveness of separate enterprises and branches.

Most strong sides of the Russian economy are scientific and technical potential, manpower, and the weakest – the state role in economy, a control system of the enterprise and credit and financial sphere.

The basic agrarian regions are located in the south of Russia. Southern regions of Russia import wheat and corn from France, Hungary, Moldova, the Ukraine, the USA, Yugoslavia.

 Corn is a making part of mixed fodders for feeding animals. However, manufacture of mixed fodders has decreased because of  low solvent demand in animal industries of the south of Russia. Reduction of livestock of animals had increased as a result demand for such forage crops, as barley and corn decreased.

Rice is imported to the south of Russia from India, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Egypt, wheat flour - from Moldova; sunflower oil, cotton - from Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, the Ukraine, Turkey, Germany, Greece; white sugar - from Moldova, the Ukraine, Germany, Turkey, Poland; pasta - from Greece, Iran, Turkey, the Ukraine; beef – from Austria, China, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the Ukraine, Moldova and Poland; fowl – from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Moldova, Great Britain, the USA; tinned products from meat - Hungary, Poland, the Ukraine; frozen fishes – from Azerbaijan, Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, the USA, Iceland, Mauritania, the Ukraine, Norvegn.

The basic importers of beef and fresh pork on the south of Russia are Moldova, Poland; frozen of fishes - Iceland, Mauritania, the Ukraine.

Regions of the south of  Russia export wheat to Israel, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, the Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Tunis, Turkey; barley - to Azerbaijan, Israel, Syria, Cyprus, Georgia; corn - to Armenia, Georgia; rice - to Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Moldova, Turkey, the Ukraine; sunflower seeds - to Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the Ukraine, Armenia, Greece, Azerbaijan, Belgium; sunflower, cotton oil - to Azerbaijan, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Armenia, India, Latvia, Georgia; sugar and confectionery - to Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Uzbekistan.

Country competitiveness of export of plant growing production by regions of the south of Russia is caused by the price factor. The rise of prices for plant growing production means growth of competitiveness of export of plant growing production.

 In the price relation the most competitive goods on export of plant growing production by regions of the south of Russia are sunflower seeds, sugar and confectionery. The most competitive goods under the factor of average physical volume of export of plant growing production are wheat and barley.

As a result, country competitiveness and export specialization of regions of the south of Russia in plant growing production depend on the prices for wheat and barley export; volumes of foreign trade in seeds of sunflower, sugar and confectionery

 According to the results of a research, the basic foreign trade partners influencing on country competitiveness of regions of the south of Russia on export of wheat are Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan; barley – Cyprus; rice – Azerbaijan and the Ukraine; sugar and confectionery – Kazakhstan and Kirghizia.

 Let's consider factors of country competitiveness of import of the agricultural goods in regions of the south Russia (Table 1).

 

 

 

 

Table 1 - Factors of country competitiveness of import the agricultural goods

in regions of the south of Russia the countries of the far abroad[1]

 

The goods

 

Country

Direction of change of the factor

price

volume

cost

Corn

France

-

+

-

Hungary

+

+

+

Moldova

+

+

+

The Ukraine

+

+

+

The USA

+

+

+

Yugoslavia

-

-

-

Rice

India

+

+

+

Kazakhstan

+

+

+

Turkey

+

+

+

Egypt

+

+

+

Wheat flour

Moldova

+

+

+

Sunflower, cotton oil

Bulgaria

+

-

-

Croatia

+

-

-

Romania

+

-

-

Slovakia

+

-

-

Spain

+

-

-

The Ukraine

+

-

-

Turkey

+

-

-

Germany

+

+

+

Greece

+

+

+

White sugar

Moldova

-

+

+

The Ukraine

-

+

+

Germany

+

-

-

Turkey

+

-

-

Poland

+

-

-

The macaroni

products

 

Greece

+

-

-

Iran

+

-

-

Turkey

+

-

-

The Ukraine

+

-

-

 

Reduction of  volumes of internal manufacture of the sugar beet in regions of the south of  Russia has led to half using of capacities of sugar factories that was reflected in a financial condition of agricultural enterprises.

Capacities of factories, the power equipment were worn out in whole on 60–80%, reproduction process wasn't carried out, progressive technologies and the equipment didn't take root.

 In many European countries competitiveness of sugar manufacture and decision of a question about the expanded reproduction depend on general conditions of restriction of manufacture of  the sugar beet. For example, there are such abstract concepts as A, B and C beet. A – is a quottering beet for all-round price (high competitiveness), B – dependence on working conditions and pricing and C – dependence on the world prices in the sugar market, a beet over an industrial quota at underestimated or very low price.

In the south of Russia there was a necessity of input of the customs duties depending on the price on the sugar beet. It is an artificial measure of increase of competitiveness sugar manufactures. A real measure is an introduction of modern technologies of cultivation of the sugar beet, processing, pricing, perfection of mutual relations between manufacturers of raw materials and sugar factories, the financially-credit policy.

Attraction of investments for sugar factories expands their participation in the organization and development of raw-material base. Thus, real quality in manufacture which is then found out in the course of consumption is put. Between the moment of education of properties of production and the moment of their display in the course of consumption there is a direct communication, that is in the course of delivery and beet acceptance on a sugar exit. [1]

On the integration principles, one of Russian regions Krasnodar Territory carries out foreign trade with Commonwealth of the independent states, the Organizations of economic assistance and development, the European economic community, the European association of free trade, the countries of Baltic, the Organization of the states of exporters of oil, the countries Central and the Eastern Europe, the organizations of Asian-Pacific economic cooperation.

Krasnodar Territory which is a part of regions of the south of Russia carries out the foreign trade operations actively. So, for example, according to Southern customs office of Federal customs service the foreign trade turnover of Krasnodar Territory only for 2009 made 6395,7 million dollars/$, including with the far abroad countries – 5600,0 million dollars/$, with the states-participants CIS – 795,7 million dollars/$. Import to Krasnodar Territory - 2759,6 million dollars/$, export from Krasnodar Territory – 3636,1 million dollars/$. The balance of the foreign trade turnover in 2009 across Krasnodar Territory developed positive 876,5 million dollars/$, however for 2008 – more positive 1727,2 million dollars/$.

With the countries of  Europe the foreign trade turnover of  Krasnodar Territory reached in 2009 - 2375,1 million dollars/$, including the greatest foreign trade turnover with Germany – 207,9 million dollars/$, Spain – 105,7 million dollars/$, Italy – 375,1 million dollars/$, the Netherlands – 105,5 million dollars/$, the Ukraine – 410,4 million dollars/$, Finland – 437,7 million dollars/$, France – 125,5 million dollars/$; the countries of Asia: Israel – 190,8 million dollars/$, Kazakhstan – 139,8 million dollars/$, China – 290 million dollars/$, Syria – 218,5 million dollars/$, Turkey – 1388, 3 million dollars/$; the countries of America: Brazil – 151,3 million dollars/$; the countries of Africa: Egypt – 409, 6 million dollars/$.

The greatest volume of the foreign trade turnover of  Krasnodar Territory is in food stuff and raw materials for their manufacture (export - 1346,2 million dollars/$, import - 1349,7 million dollars/$) and production of a fuel and energy complex (export - 1827,6 million dollars/$, import – 203,2 million dollars/$).

Krasnodar Territory increases volumes of export of agricultural production, grain crops especially. Wheat, barley is taken out from region’s seaports.

The basic volumes of purchases of grain from Krasnodar Territory are in the countries of the Near East and the North Africa: Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria, etc. These states import wheat, barley. Wheat is exported to the CIS countries. For example, wheat and fodder barley are exported to Georgia. Others heavy buyers are Italy, Albania and Greece. Basically fodder wheat is delivered to Italy; wheat - to Albania, wheat and barley - to Greece. Sugar and confectionery are exported to Moldova, the Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The basic volume of import of agricultural production is in sugar and confectionery. The second place on agricultural products import is occupied with citrus fruit crops. Import of this production is carried out from Turkey.

On food stuff and agricultural raw materials import growth over export conducts to threat of  food protection not only of  the south of  Russia, but also Russia in whole.

In Krasnodar Territory and others regions of the south of Russia the poor corn harvest that increases demand in home market of Krasnodar Territory is noticed and it promotes an increase in volume of import of highly productive seeds of corn. Sunflower-seed oil is imported from the Ukraine through the external borders of Krasnodar Territory.

 Low fertility of soil, untimely and insufficient processing of crops, low solvency at calculations by combustive-lubricating materials lead to the poor quality wheat, which is poorly realized on internal and the world market. Incomparability of Russian quality standards with the world’s reduces competitiveness of the great bulk of wheat which is grown in Russia in the world market. There is a situation of overstocking by wheat of poor quality, suitable for cattle is forage, when deficiency of food wheat. The largest exporter of grain is Kazakhstan. Its annual export reaches about 3 million dollars/$.

In this connection, a question about import protection agricultural raw materials and the foodstuffs, including such directions: as expansion of areas under crops, including forage crops; growth of an intensification of manufacture on the basis of modern technologies; development of competitiveness of manufacture and distribution of the foodstuffs, taking account of economic subjects considering balance; perfection of competitiveness of system and management structure.

The policy import protection represents a series of measures which is directed at domestic production growth. Economic benefit of import protection is based on direct and indirect incomes of the state, that is country competitiveness.

The basic measures of state regulation of the external economic competitiveness in agro-food sector are re-structuring of a branch of agriculture, liberalization of foreign trade activities (foreign trade activities), pricing.

Foreign trade activities liberalization assumes stimulation of the foreign trade activity, stabilization of home market and attraction of foreign investments within the limits of development of  branch competitiveness.

The analysis of  the basic tendencies of  the world market allows to reveal integration potential of Russia and regions of the south of Russia, a direction of its escalating and use. Import is justified, if a country or a region uses the foreign trade exchange for import of the products which are not made in the country, in its unique nature-geographical site.

To support a certain level of competitiveness of export of agricultural production, effective conditions of foreign trade or development of efficiency of foreign trade are necessary for country competitiveness.

 

 

References

1. Goncharov V. D, Larionov V.G. Meat market and meat products in Russia // The Meat industry. - ¹8. – 1998. – p. 21-24.

2. Zhuravleva E. A. Compettivness of agrofood sector Krasnodar Territory in 1997-1999 (crisis dynamics): the monography. – Krasnodar: the Krasnodar center of the scientific and technical information, 2010, 135 p.

3. Petrikova E. A, Shevtsov V.V. Integration of the enterprises sugar a branch of agrarian and industrial complex of Kuban as the basic direction of increase of their competitiveness / the All-Russia student's scientific conference with the international participation, - 1998. - p. 227-228.



[1] «-» - decrease; «+» - increase.