The necessity of increasing financial state support of agrarian sector is considered with a view of maintenance of food independence of the country and regions. Its mechanism is specified as an effective one.

Consideration is being given to structure and peculiarities of competitive advantages in the agricultural sector as well as possibilities to create and use them as subjects of strategic management. As a tool to manage competitive advantages in the agricultural sector at the regional level it is proposed to use Management-by-Objectives methods.

Stabilization and further development of agricultural production in the industrially developed regions is considered as a basis for preservation of rural settlements. For various reasons (difficult environment conditions, price disparity, organization factors, etc.) the produce of local agricultural producers is less competitive which leads to their losing of share at the food market and, primarily, the one of dairy products. In view of this, the present study considers feasibility of developing the regional target-oriented program for competitive recovery of produce using competitive advantages available in the agricultural sector of the region.