Economic Value of Technical Niche Cultures and Prospects for the Development of Their Production

Abstract

The purpose of the publication is to characterize the economic value of niche technical crops from today's point of view and to substantiate the economic prospects of their production in the context of modern threats and challenges. The relevance of the study is primarily due to the worsening of food security, the deterioration of the soil, as well as the fact that traditional crops, such as soybeans, which are capricious to weather conditions, moisture-loving corn, and even sunflower, according to forecasts in some regions, will give less and less profits, so farmers need to think about an alternative and to diversify production. To achieve the goal, general scientific and special methods of cognition were used: dialectical, which made it possible to determine the relevance and theoretical basis of the researched question; abstract-logical, with the help of which the theoretical material was systematized and the structure and relationships of the elements of scientific research were formed; analysis and synthesis, which made it possible to identify and group the advantages of niche technical crops, which were considered as arguments in favor of the development of their production; and generalization, with the purpose of forming a comprehensive approach to presenting the researched issue and formulating conclusions. In order to increase the level of specificity and objectivity of the study regarding the prospects for the development of the production of niche technical crops, attention was focused on their individual representatives, safflower and mustard. The main results of the study were: generalization of arguments in favor of the economic feasibility of developing the production of safflower and mustard, among which their multifunctionality, which is common for most niche technical crops, is highlighted; detailed disclosure of the advantages of these cultures, the significance of which is growing in the context of worsening food security; and presentation of the economic value of niche technical crops as a complex characteristic, covering closely related economic, agrotechnical, ecological, agronomic, and socio-economic components. In general, the development of the production of these crops is presented as a tool for diversification of agricultural production and a tool for strengthening of food security under the conditions of modern threats and challenges, which determines the practical significance of the study