Economic justification for the establishment of the Laboratory of Northern Reindeer Herding at the Yamal Experimental Station

The article discusses the potential for establishing a specialised reindeer breeding laboratory at the Yamal Experimental Station located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug – the region with the largest reindeer population among the Russian territorial subjects. The authors emphasise the actual need to improve northern reindeer herding in view of existing challenges: limited accuracy of census, poor collaboration between breeding organisations, as well as insufficient implementation of modern genetic and breeding methods. The authors discuss a development plan of laboratory, starting with organising the institutional framework and forming a herd, and ending with entering international markets for breeding products. The economic assessment and investment cycle analysis demonstrate the project’s high efficiency: calculations show a net present value of 22.6 million rubles, an internal rate of return of 49.6 % and a payback period of 7.4 years. Minimising both internal and external risks is achieved through the government support, the development of educational initiatives and the establishment of partnerships with researchers from leading science centres. The laboratory would not only supply the region with modern breeding resources but also create a system of information and analytical support for the industry, transparent distribution and pricing mechanisms, and improve the competitiveness of Russian Arctic regions in the sphere of reindeer herding. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the comprehensive modernisation of the reindeer herding sector through the synergy of scientific research, educational practices, and production technologies. The research methods include analysis, synthesis, project development, and economic evaluation.