Opportunities for replacement of imported aquaculture products in Ukraine

Purpose. The role of aquaculture products in imports of Ukraine given the importance of imports in providing demand of the population on seafood and fish products and prospects are assessed, opportunities for import substitution of the main species of imported fish originating from aquaculture. Findings. Food security of any country is formed by the balance of its own production, exports and imports. In most European countries, the leading role in satisfaction of demand of the consumers for fish and seafood as of today is played by the import of fish and seafood (HS groups of commodoties 03, 1604, 1605 and 230120), and not their production in the country. Imports play a very important role in saturating the Ukrainian fish and seafood market. Due to the growing role of fish farming (aquaculture) in the world, the role of aquaculture products in Ukrainian imports for the period from 1996 to 2019 includes has been analyzed. The leading role of aquaculture products in the import of fresh and chilled products and relatively small in the subgroup of frozen products is noted. The higher prices of aquaculture products compared to catch fishery products has been confirmed. Assumptions are made about the possible replacement of import of the leading categories of imported products originating from aquaculture and about probably the most advanced technologies of fish farming and species of aquaculture in Ukraine with the current structure and traffic of commodities in global aquaculture and current expenditures of Ukraine on R & D in aquaculture. Practical value. The data obtained can be useful and used by scientists, practitioners, students, specialists, whose areas of interest include aquaculture and imports, exports of fish products.