The Role of Clusters in Increasing the Economic Potential of Agricultural Enterprises

Abstract

Currently, the issue of transferring the economy of the republic and its regions to an innovative path of development has become relevant for Uzbekistan. Forming up a cluster model of development is important in terms of creating an innovative economy at regional level. Globalization of the farming economy has urged the search for new directions of the efficiency of farming in Uzbekistan. Formation of clusters in the economy of the majority of developed countries took place in an evolutionary way based on emerging relationships between economic entities. One of these areas is the fruit and vegetable clusters. The cluster approach is based on a new theory of economic advancement, which considers increased return on gained competences as the main factor of the development and, as a result, more investments in new technologies. Fruit and vegetable clusters may secure higher level of efficiency and competitiveness of regional agriculture owing to the use of innovative technologies, modernization, increased crop yields and animal productivity, and ensuring the access of agricultural producers to markets. An overview of approaches to the definition of a cluster in the economy is presented, which allowed us to identify several common characteristics of the cluster: the territorial proximity of participants of this process, their certain relationship, innovation. The article reviews formation of fruit and vegetable clusters in Uzbekistan. The indicators of land area, production, processing, storing, and sales of fruit and vegetable clusters operating in the regions have been analyzed. The article analyzes the land area and production indicators in the areas of fruit and vegetable clusters formed in the regions. Conclusions and recommendations have been developed on the basis of the conducted research.