Agro cluster as an effective mechanism for the development of crop production at the regional level

Relevance . As a strategically important area of the agro-industrial complex and providing the food base for agriculture, crop production is highly dependent on natural and climatic factors, the seasonal nature of reproduction cycles and vulnerability to land degradation. These features, aggravated by climate change and external economic constraints, necessitate the formation of new organizational and economic mechanisms capable of ensuring the sustainability and further development of the industry. One of these mechanisms is clustering, which makes it possible to integrate production, processing, logistics, scientific and managerial links into a single system that creates a synergistic effect, strengthens competitive advantages and creates prerequisites for long-term development. Methods. The methodological basis of the research is the dialectical approach, monographic, analytical, abstract-logical and comparative methods, structural-logical and economicstatistical analyses. Results. The institutional and substantive characteristics of crop clusters are revealed, key features (seasonality, long reproduction cycle, territorial localization, innovation orientation, social significance, public-private partnership) are highlighted. Based on the analysis of foreign experience, five management models for the development of agricultural crop clusters have been identified. As a result, the authors proposed an organizational and crop cluster based on the example of the Perm Region, including a coordinating council, a cluster development center, a network of feed centers and auxiliary infrastructure. The model focuses on the involvement of unused land, the introduction of adaptive agricultural technologies and the development of export potential. Its implementation will ensure an increase in the efficiency of agricultural production, reduce logistical costs, create jobs and strengthen the tax base, which confirms the importance of the cluster approach for the development of the regional agro-industrial complex.