THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF THE AGRICULTURAL CLUSTER ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMY

Mindlin Yury Borisovich, Liseykina Olga Vitalievna

The application of the cluster approach in the agricultural sector of the economy is aimed at its development, which is carried out primarily at the level of the economy of the region within which the cluster is formed. Therefore, the impact of cluster activities on the regional economy in several directions is undeniable. The article presents the main directions in which the influence of agricultural cluster activities on the economy of the region of its presence is carried out. The author comes to the conclusion that such influence is carried out in the following positive directions: the development of small and medium–sized enterprises participating in the cluster, increasing their competitiveness and efficiency; improving the efficiency of spending regional budget funds, improving the effectiveness of public policy; development of the regional labor market; acceleration of innovation in the agricultural sector of the regional economy; development of the regional economy thanks to the development of related industries; improving the competitiveness of the region, both at the domestic level and at the level of access to international markets. In addition, negative areas of influence were identified: the inability of small and medium-sized enterprises that are not part of the cluster to compete with its participants; the inability to confirm the positive impact on the regional economy by mathematical methods; the likelihood of a further decrease in the efficiency of activities and the pace of increasing innovation in the cluster as a result of the elimination of competition and the initial success of activities. Despite the presence of a negative impact of the activities of the agricultural cluster on regional policy, as practice shows, in general, this influence is positive and the region achieves growth of competitiveness, leadership and other goals.

Keywords:cluster, cluster approach, agricultural cluster, agricultural cluster, regional economy, impact of cluster activity