ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF GROWING CORN FOR GRAIN AND ORGANISATION OF SUPPLYING LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS WITH CONCENTRATED FEED IN THE WESTERN REGION

The article is aimed at studying the productivity of corn grain and organizing the supply of concentrated feed to livestock producers in the western region of Ukraine. It is proved that the agricultural sector, in particular the agro-industrial complex, is a strategic link of the national economy, determining food security and export potential of the state. The economic efficiency of corn cultivation as an intensive agricultural crop that requires significant costs of material and technical resources is considered. In the structure of agricultural production, a special place is occupied by the cultivation of corn, which is not only a valuable grain crop, but also the basis for the formation of concentrated feed for livestock. The issue of efficient corn cultivation in the western region, taking into account its agro-climatic features, the level of infrastructure development and the needs of livestock farms, is of particular relevance. It is substantiated that the use of economically feasible agricultural technologies, in particular, fertilizer optimization, allows achieving high yields and profitability of production, ensuring maximum output per unit area with rational use of resources. The article analyses the agro-climatic conditions of the region, technological approaches to corn cultivation, yields, production costs, and market conditions. The impact of the cost of corn grain on the cost of the fodder base for livestock is estimated. The impact of agrotechnological measures on the productivity of corn grain in the Western region of Ukraine is analysed. The study identified ways to increase the efficiency of corn production as an important component of the sustainable development of the region's agro-industrial complex, in particular through improving the timing of sowing, introducing modern agricultural technologies and optimizing the system of feed supply to livestock enterprises. It has been established that the productivity and economic efficiency of growing corn for grain directly depended on the use of fertilizers and plant protection products, as well as on climatic conditions.