COMMITTEE ON CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00527A000200010011-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: July 19, 1955
• Content Type: MIN

Approved For Rel 0527A000010011-3
6;:~71omic Sfjxr3; MIS J. p?.Q
-)f the Forty First Maetin -.1' CO ,tot , 19 July 1955)
25X1A9A
Messrs. reas].ee state Dept. 25X1 X7
25X1A9A
'Aw con .ttee heard a discussion of the X-;ric zltural situation in CE i aaoi> 't,
;a. by 'fr. Alexander L, Paasl.se of th.r 3tata Department. He reported on hits
:(;p , f =sl.o'as 0.? Chinas ability to meet p3i*ined goals, based on sev3r al ye
-
.ta. ::.erace in China and as agricultural report ng officer in the Ameri:au Consul, ;e
n a I is Hong Kong until : i r 1955.
~., Peaslee admitted that Hong Kong estiAntes of Chinese production in agri<
on. Crhiiiaes 11mited plaxl ed investment anti :rertilizer, ,nd also on he me&4s,l=,a
r, ~~ .: aas that can be expected from ope:rain ; up rw.,w lands and the lack o 1 we.;r -? .176
or :!'tam is to produce more under the Connunisi: system, particularly ~' ,ho r ~ Y- a
under some form of agricultural cool ,erat ve.
rain production in 1954 exceeded what of 3952 by 3.4%. He feel , on the
,nl :Fair', that production declined in both 1953 and 1954, and that far f-,:?om being
t . I)o increase grain production by 177 duMrg the five-year, pl.a,n, they probably
n : ;:: no more they. equal, 1952 production. in 1957. This judgirent. is bamvi .pr: .
az ;gricu.ltural goals nil be met and does wt accept the Communist statement
;rlJ (end other field:.) may have err;eC on the 'ow side in the past, but* he manx-
.ir a r`: that. the Coxzmur ist. figares err a'ven mcxv) on the high fide. He doe not
fool
.:lz~;; s m*' have to be rev-,.sad downwards..
Failure to meet plaxined agricultural goa]13 will adversely affect tiL:rill.mel t
f :; herts plans, since agriculture is a prime a aurce of investment cap .tal. It;
rd i -; s to maintain this source as naxch as possible, it appears ` probab1t . t'..at an
,rid.: ;: w ml squeeze will be placed, on the pearasats. In addition some '.nv3stm e t
25X1A9A
Approved For Release 201Q.4/Q2/24_:-CIA-RDP61S0052~f~00'02 010011-3