ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCTION OF CROP PRODUCTION AS THE LEADING SECTOR OF AGRICULTURE IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes trends in the production of plant products, as a leading branch of agriculture in Ukraine. The dynamics of changes for 2013–2023 and the current state of crop production in Ukraine are considered.The key trends and determining factors influencing the development of this industry are highlighted. It was found that the deviation of the gross collection for certain agricultural crops is due to two main factors – the change in the sown area and yield. The dynamics of sown areas and yields of the main agricultural crops in farms of all categories were analyzed. The actual indicators of production of the main agricultural crops, namely cereals and legumes, sugar beets, sunflowers, potatoes, vegetables and fruit crops, were evaluated using the method of chain substitutions and absolute differences. It was revealed that the reduction in the production of grain and leguminous crops, potatoes, vegetables and fruit crops occurred exclusively due to the reduction of the sown areas of these crops, the increase in the production of sugar beet was caused exclusively by a significant increase in yield, and the increase in production of sunflower occurred due to the growth of both indicators. The dynamics of structural shifts in the plant-growing branches of agriculture across regions were analyzed with the help of the coefficient of regional overtaking, which can be used to determine the uniformity of the growth of agricultural production volumes in individual regions of Ukraine. The regions of Ukraine have been grouped according to the value of the overtaking coefficient, with the selection of regions of accelerated development, regions of medium development and regions of slow development of the crop production industries. Prospective directions for the development of crop production in Ukraine have been determined, which include the introduction of advanced technologies, the rational use of acreage, and a focus on the cultivation of export crops.