Problems and prospects of development of horticulture in Russia

In Russia, about 25 kg of fruit per year is produced per capita, which is 75 % of the rational norm of nutrition. In the domestic agri-food market, more than 70 % are imported fruits. At the present stage, a negative trend in the development of horticulture is the reduction of areas under fruit and berry crops. For 2000-2017 their total area decreased by 250 thousand hectares, or by 32.1 %. A signifi cant increase in the yield of orchards and berry fi elds (88.9 percent) during the reduction of surface area did not ensure a high growth rates of fruit production. During the period under review, their gross collection increased by only 7.6 per cent. The growth of fruit and berry production has been achieved for the set of horticulture development in the households. Here the production of fruits increased to 58.4 %. In agricultural organizations, it decreased by 54.0%. To solve the problem of providing the population with fruits in terms of import substitution, it is necessary to increase the area of orchards by 378 thousand ha, or 73.1%, which will bring the gross harvest of fruit and berry products to 10320 thousand tons. Important areas of development of horticulture is the concentration of fruit production in specialized organizations and farms, the transfer of the sector to an innovative way of development, increasing the investment attractiveness of horticulture through the improvement of state support and the creation of integrated structures.