The impact of digital platforms on pricing transparency in agricultural product supply chains

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the active digitalization of the agricultural sector, the transformation of agricultural product distribution mechanisms, and the growing need to ensure pricing transparency under conditions of unstable market dynamics. It has been established that modern agricultural supply chains are characterized by a high dependence on information interaction among market participants, logistics processes, and the speed of commercial data exchange. Under such conditions, digital platforms acquire significant importance as a tool for coordinating distribution processes, increasing the accessibility of market information, and reducing information asymmetry. The purpose of the study is to provide scientific substantiation of the impact of digital platforms on ensuring pricing transparency in agricultural product supply chains and to determine directions for improving the efficiency of digital interaction among participants in the agricultural market. Methods.The study employed methods of analysis and synthesis to generalize theoretical approaches to the digitalization of agricultural distribution and to systematize the functional characteristics of digital platforms, comparative analysis to assess the peculiarities of market price formation within the digital environment, and logical generalization to substantiate organizational and economic approaches to the integration of digital platforms into the agricultural product distribution system. Results. The economic essence of digital platforms and their functional role in the processes of market price formation in the agricultural sector have been investigated. It has been revealed that the use of digital platforms contributes to accelerating the exchange of market information, improving coordination among participants in supply chains, reducing transaction costs, and forming a more competitive environment. It has been proven that the digitalization of distribution processes strengthens the analytical component of pricing and ensures a more оперативне response to changes in demand, logistics conditions, and market dynamics. At the same time, it has been established that the effectiveness of digital platforms is constrained by the uneven level of digital integration among market participants, the fragmentation of digital infrastructure, the risks of data manipulation, and the insufficient adaptability of automated analytical models to the specifics of agricultural production. Conclusions. The expediency of forming an integrated digital environment for the agricultural market, developing mechanisms for digital verification of market information, and expanding producers’ access to modern digital services has been substantiated. It has been concluded that the use of digital platforms contributes to increasing pricing transparency, strengthening the stability of distribution processes, and improving the efficiency of the agricultural market. Prospects for further research are associated with the use of artificial intelligence technologies, adaptive price forecasting models, and digital analytics within the agricultural distribution system.