The dairy subcomplex of the agro-industrial complex in Russian economic science is traditionally analyzed through the prism of product assortment: drinking milk, fermented dairy products, butter, cheese. While products of deep processing (protein concentrates and isolates, lactoferrin, bioactive peptides), which generate the highest added value, remain outside the established categorical framework. The absence of a formalized economic classification based on quantitative criteria hinders the formation of an adequate industrial policy in this sphere. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical justification for an economic classification of dairy processing products by depth, based on the criterion of the value-added multiplier – the ratio of the market price of the final product to the cost of the raw milk used. As a result of the study, a five-tier pyramid of added value has been developed, covering the entire range of dairy products from a minimal level with a negligible price premium over raw milk to high-tech products demonstrating a many-thousand-fold increase in the value of the original raw material. In addition, the author proposes a three-level classification of deep-processing products, including basic ingredients with a moderate multiplier, high-value protein fractions with a significant price premium, and minor bioactive components characterized by the maximum increase in added value. A comparative analysis of profitability confirms the fundamental economic superiority of the component model over the traditional product model: the value-added multiplier increases by orders of magnitude when moving from standard dairy products to highly purified ingredients. It has been established that the relationship between processing depth and added value is exponential rather than linear. For Russia, where a significant portion of whey is still not involved in industrial processing, substantiating the transition to a component model is a task directly linked to food security and import substitution.
In the context of the Bank of Russia's tight monetary policy and global market turbulence, domestic agriculture faces the challenge of an "investment pause." The current state support architecture, based on interest rate subsidies, is becoming less effective when the key rate exceeds the industry's average profitability. This discussion-based study aims to identify structural imbalances in the mechanism for financing agricultural investment and to justify the need to transform the state support model from a credit-oriented one to a direct investment-oriented one. It has been established that the current macroeconomic model is characterized by a disconnect between money supply growth, real GDP, and the Central Bank of Russia's key interest rate, leading to an overconcentration of profits in the financial sector while yields in agriculture and other sectors of the real economy stagnate. A «negative investment scissors» effect has been identified: rising production costs outpace indexation of state support, while «cost-push inflation» makes borrowed capital unavailable for the modernization of fixed assets. Bank lending has been shown to substitute for equity, covering cash gaps without stimulating capital expenditure. The study substantiates the need for a transition to a dual-loop monetary policy system and a paradigm shift in state support: replacing interest rate subsidies with direct CAPEX grants, and actively implementing digital financial assets and «colored» money for food sovereignty projects.
The article examines the transformation of foreign economic mechanisms ensuring the functioning of the agricultural sector of the Russian Federation under sanctions restrictions. The relevance of the study is determined by significant changes in the external economic environment caused by restricted access to international financial infrastructure, blocking of transactions in reserve currencies, and disruption of traditional logistics chains. The purpose of the research is to identify key directions of adaptation of the agricultural sector to new operating conditions. The study analyzes changes in foreign trade supply systems, the transformation of international settlements, the development of the national payment infrastructure, and institutional mechanisms for ensuring agricultural sustainability. It is established that parallel imports serve as an important tool for maintaining foreign trade flows, though they are accompanied by increased transaction costs and sanction risks. The transition to settlements in national currencies and the development of digital financial instruments are substantiated as factors enhancing financial sovereignty. The development of the national payment system and institutional modernization are shown to form the foundation for the resilience of the agricultural sector. The study concludes that sustainable agricultural development under sanctions pressure requires a comprehensive combination of foreign trade diversification, financial adaptation, and strengthening of food security.
The relevance of this study stems from the need to improve and develop the territorial specialization of agricultural production depending on the spatial adaptation of its location, a topic that remains relevant today. An integrated indicator has been developed to assess the potential for spatial organization and specialization of agricultural production in municipal districts of the Saratov Region. Districts have been ranked, allowing them to be divided into groups with high, above average, average, moderate, and low potential. The use of indices characterizing crop yields and livestock productivity, determined on the basis of statistical data, is substantiated. These indices are used to calculate the economic efficiency of sectoral specialization in production. An adaptive landscape approach to territorial placement is applied as the most economically feasible specialization and rational combination of industries, in combination with organizational and economic measures, ensures the optimal use of the region's natural and economic resources. Agricultural districts of the Saratov Right Bank and Saratov Left Bank are grouped, revealing relative equality in agricultural production potential in both zones. Using the proposed integral index, ranking of municipal districts, facilitating their grouping according to the possibilities of spatial organization and specialization of agricultural enterprises, calculated indices of production efficiency in the region, based on agricultural zoning, taking into account natural, soil, bioclimatic components, a model of spatial distribution and specialization of agricultural production in the Saratov region was constructed, reflecting the general principles of the formation of local specialized zones for the production of agricultural products.
This article evaluates existing government-supported agricultural insurance mechanisms in the BRICS countries. The study examined agricultural insurance programs in the founding BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), analyzed key insurance market indicators, and identified trends and development prospects for each system. The BRICS countries are the largest producers and exporters of agricultural products, and they face significant financial losses annually due to global climate change. Agricultural insurance is a crucial risk management tool in agriculture, helping to improve the income security of agricultural producers and ensure stable production. State-supported agricultural insurance is actively developing in the BRICS countries. These systems are based on public-private partnership principles and primarily aim to protect against financial losses caused by hazardous natural and climatic events and animal diseases. However, the specific characteristics of each BRICS country influence the organizational structure and model of the insurance system.
This article examines the transformation of approaches to economic analysis under the influence of modern geopolitics. It examines the impact of one of the most significant factors—resource sustainability—as well as restrictions on equipment imports, spices, additives, and packaging materials on the functioning of meat processing plants, and explores the feasibility of measuring this impact using analytical tools. The paper presents a modified version of Altman's classic five-factor model, integrating non-financial indicators of resource sustainability into bankruptcy probability assessment. The empirical study, conducted using enterprises in the Belgorod, Saratov, and Samara regions, identified significant differences in the level of financial sustainability of these enterprises, driven by their level of resource independence. The proposed tools enable the transformation of traditional financial analysis approaches based on retrospective analysis to forecasting enterprise sustainability in the context of the unstable geopolitics of the current stage of economic development.
The article provides a comprehensive assessment of the investment and innovation activity of the regions of the Volga, Ural, and Siberian Federal Districts of the Russian Federation. Based on data from the Federal State Statistics Service for 2022-2024, rating analysis and multivariate clustering methods were used to identify significant spatial asymmetry in the distribution of fixed capital investment per enterprise. The Tyumen Region is the absolute leader in terms of investment in 2024 (RUB 50.8 million per enterprise), while the persistently lagging zone includes the Kirov Region, Altai Krai, the Republics of Mari El, Udmurtia, and Mordovia. Based on clustering, 8 investment clusters (from an "absolutely unique cluster" to "budget-social regions") and 7 clusters based on innovation activity were identified. It was established that the territorial location of regions is not a determining factor in identifying their investment and innovation profiles. The need for a shift from a geographic focus on state support to a structural, investment, and innovation-based regional profile is substantiated. Differentiated recommendations for developing investment activities and stimulating innovation are proposed for each cluster type.
This article analyzes the structure and evaluates the cost of agricultural production in determining the competitiveness of Russian agricultural producers at the regional level. It is established that studying the relationship between costs and competitiveness is an important area of modern economic science. The cost of agricultural production is a key determinant of financial stability and profitability, and its formation influences the competitiveness of agricultural producers in both domestic and foreign markets. The authors analyze the dynamics of the cost structure in agricultural organizations in the region, identifying the specifics of their formation, key trends, and consistent patterns in their transformation. It is revealed that farmers' costs for purchased goods and services are constantly increasing, with two key items dominating the structure of material costs: feed costs and other material costs. In the structure of material costs of agricultural organizations in the Penza Region, as well as in agricultural organizations in Russia as a whole, the majority of costs are accounted for by items such as mineral fertilizers, seeds, plant protection products, and other material costs. The share of key cost items in the region has been declining over the last year of the study period, but production volumes are stable, and some are even growing (milk and poultry), indicating the use of innovative and digital technologies in production. It has been established that traditional approaches to cost reduction have largely exhausted their potential, spurring the implementation of modern, comprehensive cost optimization methods through innovation, improved technological processes, and cost management systems in a resource-constrained environment. This comprehensive approach, supported by government programs, not only reduces costs but also enhances the overall competitiveness of organizations over the long term.
In the context of sanctions and the rise in the cost of capital, state financial support is becoming the main driver of investments in the agro-industrial complex of Russia. The multiplicity of forms of financing when tightening competitive procedures creates a problem of reasonable choice: it is required not only to assess the effectiveness of projects, but also to predict the likelihood of fulfilling the conditions for providing state financial support. The goal is to develop an algorithm for choosing measures of state financial support for investment projects of agricultural enterprises, which differs in taking into account the risks of non-fulfillment of the conditions for their provision. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach, factor analysis and expert assessments. A five- stage algorithm has been developed for selecting measures of state financial support for agricultural enterprises based on determining the expected economic benefits, taking into account the risk of loss of support and the imposition of financial sanctions if the conditions for the provision of measures are not met. As a result of the study, risk factors for non-compliance with the conditions enshrined in the proposed support measures were identified, financial consequences for enterprises. The scenario-expert approach made it possible to take into account the features of the agricultural industry, integrate a qualitative risk assessment scale into the assessment mechanism, justify the possibility of using a combination of government financial support measures and choose measures with maximum benefit and acceptable risk.
The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state and key trends in the development of the Russian fish and seafood market in the context of geopolitical changes, sanctions pressure and transformations in consumer demand. Special attention is given to the role of wholesale trade as a key link in the supply chain that connects production (fishing and aquaculture), processing, and retail trade. Based on the current data from Rosstat, Rosrybolovstvo, VAPE and industry analytics for 2017-2026, the paper examines the dynamics of water biological resources catch, the structure of import substitution, and the activities of major distributors and processors. The paper identifies key trends, including the shift from raw materials to processed products, the development of retailers and manufacturers own brands and the significant reorientation of export flows towards Asian, African, and Middle Eastern markets. Special attention is paid to critical infrastructure limitations: the shortage of refrigeration capacities, the deterioration of the refrigeration fleet and the high logistical costs caused by the territorial separation of fishing and consumption areas. The paper concludes that it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the government and business to modernize the infrastructure, update the fleet, and increase the competitiveness of domestic fish products in domestic and foreign markets.