AGROINDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL OF THE REGION: REALITIES, PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

The article provides a retrospective analysis of the current state of the agro-industrial potential of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Prospects for development of the region’s agrarian economy are substantiated on the basis of identified structural transformations. In the process of research, the following methods were used: abstract-logical – to formulate conclusions; comparative analysis – to compare indicators and identify trends in their change; tabular – for a visual representation of the obtained research results; statistical – when analyzing the state of the agricultural economy of Crimea and its potential; monographic – detailing the current state and problems of the functioning of agriculture in the region; graphic – to illustrate the trends of the studied economic phenomena. The tendency of a significant decrease in the share of the agro-industrial complex in the aggregate gross regional product of Crimea and share of employed workers is revealed. It is proved that the main transformational imbalances in the practice of the agricultural economy functioning are: a large-scale reduction in the areas and volumes of production of moisture-dependent crops, the destruction of forage and rice industries, a steady trend of low crop yields and reduced livestock of animals. These factors led to a decrease in the production of food products in the region. The problematic issue is the aggravation of the situation with water supply and water use on the peninsula, as a result of which there was a tenfold reduction in the area of irrigated land. The factors that have a destructive effect on the efficiency of the functioning of the agricultural economy of Crimea are systematized. The methodological and practical aspects of the study of the water management complex problems of the Republic of Crimea and the development of criteria system for effective functioning of the region’s agricultural production have received further development. These approaches and research results can be used by governmental authorities for organizing of monitoring and analysis system of socio-economic state of agricultural production in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.