AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COOPERATIVES AS A SUBJECTS OF AGRARIAN LEGAL RELATIONS

The article presents the relevance, importance, problems and ways to improve the legal regulation of agricultural production cooperatives. It has been determined that the profitability of agricultural commodity producers' economic activities is possible if their activities will be based on the principles of sustainable development. The concepts of agricultural production cooperatives and the membership characteristics have been analysed. A comparison of «agricultural production cooperative» and «agricultural service cooperative» has been made. The problems of development of agricultural cooperation in Ukraine have been emphasized. The role and the agricultural production cooperative importance for the development of the social, economic and environmental spheres has been examined. Foreign experience in the development of cooperation has been analysed, in particular in the Republic of Germany and the Republic of Poland. It has been established that the purpose of agricultural cooperatives is to adapt agricultural products to market conditions concentrating and marketing agricultural products produced by farmers; improving farm management and the quality of farm products; domination of production by quantity with quality; environmental protection through appropriate production technologies. It has been determined that the development of agricultural cooperation in Ukraine will help to create new jobs in rural areas, increase productivity, improve the quality of work and increase the efficiency of public production. It has been proved that in modern conditions of development of agroindustrial complex the introduction of innovative technologies are becoming very important in the effective management of the economy. It has been determined that the development the agro-innovation sector in Ukraine will be facilitated by the association of agro-producers in agricultural production cooperatives.