Cost accounting and costing of crop production in agribusinesses of various forms of ownership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of cost accounting methods and costing of production in crop enterprises of varying scales and forms of ownership. To achieve this aim, 5 agricultural enterprises in Ukraine engaged in crop production were examined: a small farm Zeleny Lan, a medium-sized farm Sonyachnyi Sad, a large agricultural holding AgroProstir, a cooperative enterprise Zernovy Kray, and a private enterprise Zolotyi Kolos. The research methods included an analysis of the financial statements of these enterprises for the period 2021-2023, the use of spreadsheets to structure data, and statistical analysis to assess cost variability. Particular attention was given to the comparison of costing methods, such as direct costing, the equivalent unit method, and automated accounting systems Debet+ and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The impact of automation on the accuracy of calculations, transparency of financial transactions, and opportunities for cost optimisation was assessed. The challenges associated with manual accounting in small farms, the lack of integration of overhead costs in private enterprises, and the need for cooperation to reduce costs in medium-sized and cooperative enterprises were analysed. The paper proposes ways to improve accounting practices, including the implementation of automated cost accounting systems, standardisation of cost calculation, expansion of cooperative opportunities, and the development of innovative approaches to cost management using geoinformation technologies, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. It is concluded that enhancing accounting methods is key to increasing the efficiency of agricultural enterprises and their adaptation to modern market conditions