Economic efficiency of apricot cultivation in the South of Russia

In recent years, the main emphasis in fruit growing has been placed on expanding plantings and increasing the production of pome fruit species, while the cultivation area and the yield of stone fruits remain extremely low. The purpose of the study is to highlight the Republic of Dagestan as a fruit-growing region, whose contribution to the production of fruit products is the greatest. The article notes the reasons limiting the spread of stone fruit agrocenoses: limited cultivation area, insufficient resistance to unfavorable abiotic and biotic environmental factors, lack of a set of immune-resistant varieties grown in industrial gardens. The dynamics of indicators is analyzed: the structure of fruit and berry crops, the area of perennial plantations, the volume of production, the yield for the period 2010-2020. It has been established that the bulk of industrial stone fruit orchards, which provide significant gross harvests, are concentrated in the North Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts, including the Republic of Dagestan, the undisputed leader. It is noted that apricot culture has a special strategic place in regional gardening. The possibilities of the republic in the organization of conveyor production in the cultivation of apricot varieties in conditions of vertical zoning have been substantiated, which allows satisfying demand throughout the season and ensuring high efficiency of agricultural producers. Key regional problems are identified, the solution of which will allow modernizing gardening, forming a product brand, and widely developing agritourism destinations. The results of the research can be used by the republican authorities in the implementation of the policy of development of rural areas.