DEPENDENCE OF THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF CROP PRODUCTION IN THE POLISSIA ZONE ON SOIL CONDITIONS
Abstract
The article examines the
dependence of the economic efficiency of crop production on the condition of soil cover in the Polissia
zone of Ukraine. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing influence of soil degradation
processes, climate change, and anthropogenic pressure on the productivity of agricultural lands and
the financial performance of agricultural enterprises. Particular attention is paid to the role of soil
resources as a fundamental factor determining the productivity of agricultural crops, production
costs, profitability, and the overall sustainability of agricultural systems in regions with complex
natural and climatic conditions. The current agroecological condition of soils in the Polissia region
is analyzed with consideration of the main degradation processes that negatively affect the productive
potential of agricultural lands. It has been established that the soils of the region are characterized
by increased acidity, low humus content, excessive moisture, deterioration of water-physical
properties, and insufficient provision of nutrients. The study substantiates that these factors
significantly limit the productivity of agricultural crops and reduce the economic efficiency of crop
production. Special attention is paid to the impact of soil fertility indicators, particularly humus content, soil acidity, and nutrient availability, on crop yields, production costs, and profitability
levels.
The research is based on statistical data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, materials of
agrochemical monitoring, reports of the Institute for Soil Protection of Ukraine, and scientific works
of domestic and foreign researchers. The methodological basis of the study includes comparative
analysis, statistical-economic and economic-mathematical methods, methods of synthesis and
generalization, as well as correlation-regression analysis. The study covers the period from 2015 to
2025 and focuses on the territories of Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv regions belonging to
the Polissia zone of Ukraine. The results of the research confirm a stable relationship between the
condition of soil cover and the economic indicators of crop production. It has been determined that
agricultural enterprises operating on soils with higher humus content achieve significantly better
economic results compared to farms using degraded soils. In particular, increasing humus content
contributes to higher crop yields, lower production costs, optimization of the cost structure, and
growth of profitability. Correlation-regression analysis confirmed a strong direct relationship
between soil fertility indicators and the profitability of agricultural production. The study also
demonstrates that the implementation of soil conservation measures, liming of acidic soils, balanced
fertilization systems, reclamation activities, and elements of precision agriculture positively influence
the efficiency of land use and the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises.
Considerable attention is paid to the consequences of radioactive contamination of soils caused
by the Chornobyl disaster, which remains an important limiting factor for agricultural production in
the Polissia region. The research proves that radioactive contamination increases production costs
and requires additional expenditures on agrochemical measures, soil monitoring, and specialized
technologies aimed at reducing radionuclide migration into crop products. Based on the conducted
analysis, the main directions for improving the economic efficiency of crop production in the Polissia
zone are proposed.
These include restoration of soil fertility, optimization of crop structure according to soil
conditions, implementation of adaptive farming systems, expansion of reclamation measures, and
introduction of innovative technologies focused on sustainable land management. The practical
significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying the obtained results for improving the
productivity of agricultural lands, increasing the profitability of agricultural enterprises,
strengthening food security, and ensuring sustainable development of the agricultural sector in
regions with unfavorable soil conditions.
Keywords: economic efficiency, soil cover, soil fertility, crop production, Polissia zone, soil
degradation, land resource management.
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