THE IMPACT OF IMPORT SUBSTITUTION ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE AGRI-FOOD SYSTEM
Import substitution is a type of economic strategy and government policy aimed at protecting domestic producers by substituting domestically produced goods for imported goods [1]. The main goal of import substitution is to create a favorable environment for the national economy, one of the defining criteria for the sustainable development of which is its balance in export, import, domestic production and consumption. This is especially true for the food market, since food is a strategic and socially important commodity, therefore, a number of key points should be considered: - the policy of import substitution contributes to the growth of agricultural production, structural adjustment and technological modernization of the production base of agriculture in Russia; -full import substitution in the agricultural sector is impossible due to a number of objective and subjective factors; - the closed nature of the domestic market reduces the competitiveness of domestic agricultural production; - exceeding the share of imports of goods in domestic consumption by more than 20.25 % reduces the country’s food security; - excessive exports make the country ’s economy dependent on foreign market conditions. The article presents the optimal strategy of import substitution in the agri-food sector. The conclusion is made about the increase in the surplus of the export-import balance, and the influence of this state on the level of food security of the country and the functioning of the national agri-food system (AFS) is determined. In this study, the agri-food system is understood as a set of objects and processes that are interconnected and interact with each other in order to ensure the food security of the country. In the course ofthe study, the factors, prerequisites, conditions and forecast results of the inertial and innovative scenarios for the development of AFS in the context of import substitution in the food market are identified.