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Recently, numerous researches have been devoted to the problem of evaluation of soil quality in different countries (Achasov et al., 2019; Bartolomei et al., 2013; Colantoni et al., 2016; Salvati et al., 2011). Moreover, the modern economic science, along with the economic practice, supplies different often-contradictory opinions concerning the importance of land quality in the establishment of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises. The fact argues timeliness of the study.
The global meta-analysis of the relation between the content of organic matter in soil and yield capacity of a crop reveals that the yield capacity of maize and wheat on average is higher under a larger content of organic carbon in the soil. However, it is increased only in case the content of carbon accounts for not less than 2% (Oldfield et al., 2019).
Foreign scientists emphasize the relations of agricultural landscapes, ecosystem services and regional competitiveness being extended behind the agricultural sector. They also stress the importance of non-marketable services making significant impact of the competitive advantages (Schaller et al., 2018). Researchers such as Dechezleprêtre and Sato (2017), Yang et al. (2019) have estimated the impacts of environmental quality and regulations on sustainable development and competitiveness.
Among the known modern foreign publications, a particular attention should be paid to a set of scientific works by A. Issanchou and coauthors (2015; 2016; 2019), as well as her doctoral degree thesis. The works provide the most detailed study of the issue of soil quality management in terms of maintenance of competitiveness and sustainable agriculture, as well as its impact on French farms’ profitability (Issanchou, 2017).
Results of the research on the relationship between soil fertility, biological diversity of agricultural crops and income of the farmers in Italy, conducted by S. Di Falco, E. Zoupanidou (2017), determine that both biological diversity of crops and soil fertility make a positive impact on farmers’ income. It is also noted that biodiversity of crops and soil fertility can substitute each other. The diversification of crops can be used as a potential strategy to support productivity in case of less fertile soils (Di Falco & Zoupanidou, 2017).