Development of inter-municipal and inter-regional cooperation in the formation of agricultural clusters

In the context of the pandemic and in connection with the threat of the spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), as well as the strengthening of Western sanctions, the production and self-sufficiency of domestic food products, including potato and vegetable products, are of particular importance. And to saturate the domestic and foreign markets with relatively affordable and quality food, including semi-finished products from potatoes and vegetables, there are certain opportunities and potential for rural producers in the regions of Russia. The article analyzes the state and development of the market for potatoes and vegetables in the Republic of Bashkortostan, as a result, the problems of the functioning of the potato and vegetable industry, which are the lack of infrastructure facilities, including for storing and sorting the harvested crop, are identified. The main directions for the implementation of the program for improving the food security of territories (countries, constituent entities of the Russian Federation), including by providing the domestic and foreign markets with relatively affordable food and semi-finished products, have been determined. In conclusion, it was concluded that one of the options for integrating the entire technological chain, from organizing financing for the cultivation of potatoes and vegetables, their processing to marketing in a trading network or selling outside the republic, is the development of intermunicipal and interregional cooperation in the food processing industry through creation of specialized agricultural firms for the production of potato and vegetable products, and it is also recommended to form a potato and vegetable cluster on their basis with the widespread use of the principles of cooperation. Due to the implementation of the cluster policy, the relationship of the republic will expand, primarily with neighboring regions - the Orenburg, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions, the republics of Tatarstan and Udmurtia, the Perm Territory. In the regions, it is possible to increase the volume of potato and vegetable products through an increase in value-added production, involvement of local organizations in cooperative ties and the development of interregional cooperation; stimulation of innovative activity and scientific activity in the territories, which also gives an additional impetus to the implementation of various investment projects.