Agro-food clusters in the Republic of Kazakhstan: assessment and prospects of development

Introduction. The relevance of the study is related to the fact that the formation of national clusters is one of the most essential tools to promote innovation and industrial development of the state economy. The objective of the article is to consider the peculiarities of the formation of cluster policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan and assess its development. Materials and methods. Statistical data from the official website of the Committee on Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as scientific papers on the economic development of Kazakhstan and the EAEU countries, were used. Results. The grain processing cluster of Kazakhstan is the basis of the agro-food cluster. In terms of grain production, Kazakhstan ranks third in the CIS after Russia and Ukraine. Wheat exports are one of the primary sources of foreign exchange earnings in the country's economy. The market share of Kazakhstan for most products in relation to the EAEU is from 5 to 15%. The highest shares are observed in the production/consumption of vegetables and gourd (22.48%), grain (14.34%), and milk (11.92%). The lowest shares of production are observed for the production/consumption of sugar (3.87%), fruits and berries (7.47%), eggs (8.76%), and meat (8.54%). Agro-food production in Kazakhstan increased by 1.04% from 2013 to 2018, while consumption increased by 0.60%. By 2035, the capacity of the EAEU domestic market could grow significantly in the segments: meat and meat products (by 15%), milk and dairy products (by 17%), fruits and berries (by 39%), vegetables and gourd (by 24%), grain (by 12%) and oilseeds (by 69%). Discussion and conclusion. The formation and development of territorial and sectoral clusters, mainly agrarian, will be one of the most effective forms of realization of the national competitive advantages of the Republic of Kazakhstan.