COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES AS THE BASIS OF THEIR COMPETITIVENESS

Introduction. The specifics of agricultural production and the specifics of demand for products determine the need for companies in the industry to choose a well-founded business strategy, developed on the basis of a thorough analysis of existing and desired competitive advantages and possible mechanisms of their formation and implementation. This will make it possible to adapt to supply shocks and minimize risks, as well as ensure long-term competitiveness. Purpose. The purpose of the study is the analysis of scientific approaches to the definition of the concepts of competitiveness and competitive advantages of agricultural enterprises and the systematization of the sources of their formation. Materials and methods. . In the process of research, the methods of analysis and synthesis were used — while defining the essence of the concepts “competitiveness of agricultural enterprises” and “competitive advantages of agricultural enterprises”, deduction and abstraction — to systematize the sources of the formation of competitive advantages of agricultural enterprises, generalization and specification — when forming conclusions. Results. The article analyzes the approaches to defining the concept of “competitiveness of an agricultural enterprise” presented in the scientific literature. It was established that the implementation component of the competitiveness of the enterprises of the industry includes a better use of resource potential, compared to comparable competitors, and a higher degree of adaptability to changes in external environmental factors. The author's definition of the concept of “competitive advantage of an agricultural enterprise” is proposed. It is substantiated that the sources of formation of competitive advantages of an agricultural enterprise can be its resources and factors of production and business processes, and the forms of manifestation —lower cost of production, higher price of its sale or better quality, higher productivity of factors of production compared to competitors. Discussion. The issues raised in the work are multifaceted and require further research aimed at developing scientific and methodological tools for evaluating the effectiveness of various competitive strategies of agricultural enterprises depending on the type of their competitive advantages.