ORGANIZATIONAL AND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES OF INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF UKRAINE IN THE EXTERNAL MARKET

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of the article is to develop theoretical, methodological provisions and practical recommendations for increasing domestic products on the world market of agro-food products. Methodology of research. The systematic method of scientific knowledge is used, which defines the position that all processes and phenomena of the studied problem are considered in the course of the research and analyzed in the interconnection and interdependence and, acting in unity, allow it to be studied comprehensively and completed. The statistical and economic methods are used in order to assess the level of competitiveness of food and agricultural raw materials on the world market, in particular, such as: comparison, index analysis (for the calculation of indices of relative comparative advantages of agrarian products on the world market); grouping (the value of indices for the goods with the highest and the least comparative advantages). Findings. It has been established that accession to the WTO has opened up great opportunities for Ukraine to enter a single European market, but they cannot be realized even today because of the discrepancy of the national technical regulation system introduced in the European Union. At the same time, only harmonization of the institutional and legal framework for the development of a national economy with the European one cannot solve the problem of increasing the competitiveness of manufactured goods and services rendered. It has been established that during 2015–2017 there is a steady tendency to increase the volume of foreign trade in agricultural products. Sunflower oil was competitive in the foreign market in 2017, and the negative tendency to decrease export competitiveness was for wheat, barley and sunflower. It was proved that it was important to defend the possibility of protecting the domestic market and supporting national exporters taking into account food self-sufficiency and export orientation of the Ukrainian agricultural business; upon accession to the WTO in our country. However, this did not succeed, and along with the waiver of the right to subsidize the export of agricultural products, Ukraine was forced to significantly reduce import duties on agricultural products and foodstuffs (an average of 11%). Originality. The further development of the study of the volumes of foreign trade of Ukraine in agricultural products and the establishment of trends in their changes, as well as the allocation of opportunities and problems that arise when the domestic enterprises enter the European market, has been further developed. Practical value. The results of the conducted research can be taken into account by domestic agricultural enterprises when entering to the European market.