Abstract: In the article the conception of normal and economic profit following to interpretation of theory of market economics is considered. Formation of production costs on the basis of resource conception, where each type of main resources — land, capital, labor, information and entrepreneurship are examined. The principles of formation of opportunity costs of these main types of production resources are considered. Content of the concept of such terms as «economic profit» and «normal profit» and the methods of their calculation are discovered. The role of normal profit for entrepreneurial activity are explained. The specific of market economy functioning in agriculture and formation of normal profit in this conditions are shown.

The agriculture belong to the industries with a high level of competition. In such conditions agricultural enterprises can have economic profit only short period of time and only some of them. In long run, as a rule, most agricultural enterprises can have not more than normal profit. Economic profit under conditions of agricultural commodity markets is about zero because high competition on these markets. It is co-called the paradox of profit when economic profit creates of inter-industry competition and this competition makes profit zero. In this situation some part of enterprises are leaving the industry or specific market and as result of this, supply of product on market is decreasing, prices increase and economic profit again will be about zero. So, in agriculture most of enterprises receive only normal profit and it is in the bast case. It enplanes significant expenses in developed countries on supporting of farmers.

Attempt of normal profit calculation for agricultural enterprises and such crops as grain, sun flow seeds and vegetable on the aggregate data is made. The calculation shown a negative normal profit based on aggregate data of agricultural enterprises of Ukraine and grain.

For sun flow seeds and vegetable the normal profit was positive.