CONTRIBUTION OF THE GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AREA, ORR, TO NIE 11-4-58 MAIN TRENDS IN SOVIET CAPABILITIES AND POLICIES, 1958-1963

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00391R000200250004-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: August 26, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

? Approved For Release !CIA-RDP61-00391 R000200250004-8
Copy No. /3
Contribution of the Geographic Research Area, M, to
NIE 114 -58
Mein Trend in Soviet Capabilities and
PolicieS, 1958-1963
CIA/R G/I?'259
(O Pro t 64.1694)
26 Ault 1958
THIS MTV CONT '~oI AFFKCTING TIC
NATION Des: OF THE,
- STATES WITHIN THE
MEANIM OF THE PIOPA011 LAW, TXTL 18, CSC,
Sf3CS. 793 and 794, THE Z*-',fNSMISSI(Nf OR RE t ON
OF WHICH IN ANY M.,ANli AN tAQUTU I2 PEPSON
CEN1RAL I I?$G,,rIGENCE AGk
Of'f'ice of Rt a :rch and Reports
Approved For Rslugyi~DP61-00391 R000200250004-8
 Approved For Release : CIA-RDP61-00391 R000200250004-8
Contribution of the Geogphic Research Area, C1RR/CZA, t
la. D. Developments in ,Agriculture (Corn program)
Since 1953, Krushchev has launched a series of forced-draft
programs to increase agriculture, production. One of the most recent
and radical, the Soviet Corn Progx -, which calls for the planting of
28 million hectares of corn a year by 1960, was formally initiated in
1955. This program introduced the radical shift from emphasis on the
production of corn for grain to oduction for green fodder and silage
in an attempt to guarantee the s1ccess of the ambitious livestock program
of the i . Corn acreages rose sharply from 10.6 million acres in 1954
to 44.2 million in 1955 and 59 mnion in 1956. Thereafter., acreages
dropped to 45.2 million In 1957 and to somewhat less than this in 1958.
Acreages in excess of the 1956 level can be achieved ot>ly by (1) inc.
creasing, the corn wren within est rblished corn-producing was, or
(2) enanding into new and climatically marginal areas. The first
involves diversion of laid from gther crops to corn or the reduction of
land in fallow, thus introducing problem of soil deterioration or
erosion. The second involves enieion into (anal possibly beyond the
limits of) areas where corn can be grotan only for silage or green fodder.
To the north, low summer temperatures and late spring and early fall
frosts limit the practical corn producing area. In Luropean A and
Approved For Release : ,CIA-RDP61-00391 R000200250004-8
 Approved For Release : CIA-RDP61-00391 R000200250004-8
Central Asia to the southeast and east, Sumer droughts of major
magnitude are limiting factors. On the basis of climate, it therefore
sees unlikely that the acreage goal set for the profitable production
of corn can be attained.
Urger the current Corn Program, the USSR has sharply increased
the over-all harvest, primarily of silage and fodder corn, by intro-
ducing large-scale corn production into entirely new, mare northern
areas in which corn can be grown for these purposes only. In 1956,
when corn acr es reached their peak, only about half of the total was
planted where corn s.?ou9,d ripen as grain. Of the reminder, about
28 percent was planted in areas sage only low-Quality green fodder
could be expected.
The rapid aM, to a degree, arbitrary expansion of cultivation
produced very spotty results that varied with the region and the year
wader consideration. By contrast with the extensive corn belt of they
United States, only small, sections of the R are cmpable of high
sustained grain yields. These include the piedmont regions of the
Carpathian and Caucasus Mountains, the Georgian Lowlands, and irrigated
areas in southern Central. Asia. I the remainder of the established
corn-fig area, yields tend to be good; but they become lees reliable
in the southern Ukraine and the Lauer Don -- Lover Volga regions. Yields
in the now silage- and fodder prod a ing regions have been fair to poor.,
reflecting the fact that corn has bean planted in areas that are marginal
Approved For Release : CIA-RDP61-003918000200250004-8
 Approved For Release :,CIA-RDP61-00391 R000200250004-8
s U i^iM~li?ii-
for dependable corn growth. Large crop losses resulted from unexpected
frosts and low temperatures thra 3iout much of central European USSR
in 1956 and by severe drought in Borth Caucasus -- Lower Volga Region
in 1957.
The Soviets, hover, are heavily con itted to the Corn
Program, particularly since it plays a key role in their even more
ambitious livestock and dairy goads. Although major emphasis will
continue to be placed on the production of silage and fodder, unsatis-
factory yields in the greater part of the fodder-producing regions will
force them to rely heavily on production from the silage-corn areas.
The most critical feed-consuming-,regions, the central part of the
European U"? and the Baltic-Belorussian Region, yield low-quality
fodder only. Up to 1958, fodder production as a whole fell far short
of needs, as attested by Krvahchnsa-0 a 'statement that fodder production
moat be increased four- or five-told if the Soviet Union is to achieve
its livestock and dairy goals. Fe-.adder yields of a magnitude sufficient
to meet requirements of the planned livestock and dairy industries for
1961 cannot be obtained by solely increasing the corn acreage in the
Approved For Release Oft"ftl R000200250004-8