CURRENT STATE AND TRENDS OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INDUSTRY IN FOREIGN MARKETS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the export potential of agricultural and food products and their competitiveness on the foreign market. The peculiarities of the state of war, the dynamics of changes in the export and import of agro-food products, including the factors and risks of global influence, are considered. The domestic agrarian market is budget-generating and gradually strengthens the food security of the country and the world in terms of the level of supply of agricultural products, as well as the potential for the growth of the share of organic, ecological products of plant and animal husbandry and the growth of processes of circularity and sustainable development in the food industry.

 The article substantiates measures on the competitiveness of agricultural products. Agricultural products play a special role in international trade. Long-term sustainable development of the agri-food sector can be ensured only when its products are competitive on regional and world markets. The conditions in which agriculture and the food industry developed are constantly changing due to the growing interdependence of the national economy and the opening of foreign markets, which leads to a confrontation between identical agri-food products of different countries. Exports and international competitiveness are an important driving force of industry and economic development, protection of its national interests and provision of food security in a global and regional aspect.

The economic integration of Eastern European countries into the European Union (EU) has become a huge challenge for both old and new member states. EU enlargement has added risks for weak countries and opportunities for leaders, as well as increased trade flows and demand for products. On the one hand, integration processes intensified the competition between countries, and on the other hand, they expanded the horizon of planning and strategic potential for each participant.

The enlargement of the EU has opened opportunities for free trade, increased trade flows and demand for agricultural products, therefore, it is a point of growth for the national economy, provided that environmental incentive programs are created primarily for small and medium-sized producers.