Statistical research of development of integration processes in Russian agriculture

The article is devoted to the main directions of improving the analysis of integration processes in Russian agriculture. By the integration processes, we mean the development of cooperation, agricultural holdings and agrarian clusters. The article describes the history of agricultural cooperation and the role of cooperatives in the development of integration processes. A key point is the study of integration from the perspective of agricultural holdings’ formation, as the largest vertically integrated structures specializing in the production and deep processing of agricultural raw materials and products. Based on analysis of materials published on the websites and information portals, investigated the activities of 82 existing Russian agricultural holdings. The geography of agricultural holdings, their structure and specialization, the amount of resources available to the agricultural holdings in their production activities was evaluated as a result of the study. Particular attention is given to the leaders of the production of basic agricultural products. The most complex integration system in Russian agriculture is an agrarian clusters based on such structures as cooperatives and agricultural holdings. The highlights five main approaches to the study of agricultural clusters, the main of which is the general improvement of the statistics of the agricultural sector, the development of the current statistical reporting and analysis, the improvement of sample survey of peasant farms’ and individual entrepreneurs’ activities, expanding the program All-Russian agricultural census and organization of sample surveys of agricultural holdings’ activity. To analyze the feasibility of agrarian clusters establishing, the program screening the prerequisites for the formation of clusters in the agricultural region is proposed. The implementation of the directions presented in this article, significantly enhance the objectivity of the analysis of integration processes in Russian agriculture.