Key development directions of the milk market of the region

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the importance of the milk market and its role in ensuring the food security of the country, as well as the current conditions created by the increasing complexity of the political and economic situation (the introduction of economic sanctions, increased competition, reduced product quality). In this regard, the purpose of the study is to substantiate the main directions of improving the organizational and economic mechanism of the milk market, ensuring the reduction of the impact of risks, the balance of mutual interests of market actors, the solution of the strategic task of food safety. The study used the balance, economic and statistical, monographic methods, the method of system analysis, theoretical and practical approaches developed by the authors. On the basis of the identified market conditions (demand, supply, and prices) and organizational and economic assessment of the milk market, positive (growth in retail trade, reduction in dairy product imports, large-scale modernization of the dairy industry) and negative (decrease in per capita consumption, reorientation of consumers to cheaper; dairy products with low added value, reduced consumption of cheese and butter) trends are identified and described. The article substantiates the promising directions and mechanisms for the development of the milk market: improving production efficiency and competitiveness of dairy products, timely regulating market conditions (maintaining a balance of supply and demand), developing the market supply infrastructure, establishing industry clusters, reducing dependence on imports, growing organic production, digitization of production and sales of products, the expansion of interregional relations and export support, stimulated creation of marketing structures and improvement of marketing technologies.