MARKET ANALYSIS OF THE RYAZAN REGION MEAT INDUSTRY USING MICHAEL PORTER'S COMPETITIVE FORCES MODEL

This article is dedicated to a comprehensive structural analysis of the meat market in the Ryazan Oblast using Michael Porter's classic methodology—the Five Forces of Competition model. This tool allowed for the assessment of the long-term development prospects of the industry, the identification of the intensity of competitive pressure, and the determination of the most promising directions for forming sustainable competitive advantage. The meat market in the region operates under conditions of high capital intensity and significant saturation, due to the presence of both local producers and large federal agro-holdings. The study showed that the level of intra-industry competition is assessed as high (9 points), which is dictated by the low differentiation of standardized products and high price elasticity of demand. Threat analysis revealed high pressure from substitute goods (fish, vegetable alternatives), which requires producers to constantly account for consumer trends toward healthy eating. The threat of new entrants in high-volume segments (poultry, pork) remains low due to colossal investment barriers, the need for economies of scale, and strict biosecurity requirements. A pronounced factor of pressure is the bargaining power of buyers (7 points), concentrated in the form of federal retail chains that dictate pricing policy and terms of cooperation. The influence of suppliers (feed, equipment) is also assessed as high (7 points), especially under current logistical and geopolitical constraints, which emphasizes the critical importance of vertical integration. As a result of the structural analysis, it was concluded that the overall industry attractiveness of the meat market in the Ryazan Oblast is moderate. To maintain competitiveness, companies are advised to focus on increasing differentiation through improving processing quality (cutting, reducing fat content), developing their own feed supply, and actively engaging with consumers through loyalty programs to reduce price sensitivity.