LIVING STANDARDSOF FARMERS IN NORTHEAST RISE; CHEKIANG WOMEN TAKE UP FARM WORK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600350413-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 19, 2011
• Sequence Number: 413
• Publication Date: October 13, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP8O-OO8O9AOOO6OO35O413-4
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FARM BUILDINGS, ANIMALS INCREELSE -~ Hong Kong Wen-hui Pao, 8 Sep 50
Mukden, 7 September (Hsin-hua) -- During the 2 or 3 years since land re-
form was completed in certain sections of the Northeast, the amount of build-
ing done in these areas has greatly increased. In 5,000 villages of Liaotung
Province, 80,000 chien ~ chien is a room, usually considered to be 10 x 10
feet] oP new farm buildings have been erected during the last 2 years. In
one ch?u of Kirin Province 1,500 chien were built during the spring of 1950.
Not only dwellings but barns and granaries are continually being built.
Whereas, heretofore several fami]?es were living in one room, the families,
now having their own land, are able to have separate dwellings.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT Economic -Agriculture
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED China
DATE
PUBLISHED 27 Jun - 8 Sep 1950
LANGUAGE Chinese
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NISITID [T LAM. RISRODUCTION Of TNIt LOflY IS LRO XIRIT[D.
REPORT
CD N0.
DATE OF
DATE DIST. ~3 Oct 1~5U
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
CHEKIANG WOMEN TAKE UP FARM WORK
The increased prosperity is also evident in the increased number of
work animals. Last year, in Liaotung Province, accos?ding to incomplete data,
170,000 work animals were added. In some areas, every family has added a
horse since the land reform. Likewise farm implements and carts are greatly
increasing in number. Farmers now use rubber-tired carts universally in the
Northeast.
The change in the social classification of the farmers is notable. In
e.n investigation recently conducted in 21 selected villages of 16 different
hsiens, farm laborers who, before the land reform, made up one half of the
farm population, have now become middle-class farmers and well-to-do middle-
class farmers. Aside from one percent of former poor farmers, who now have
a lower standard of living, 51 percent of former poor farmers have raised
their standard of living; 17.1 percent of former middle-class Yarmers now
hive a hio er standard cf living. Of the farming class as a whole, 62.7
percent have exk;~:rienced a rise in t`~eir standard of 13ving since the land
reform. .Middle class and well-to?-do middle class farmers have increased
from 16 percent to 53.8 percent of the total farm population. In 15 vil-
lages in eight different hsien of Liaotung Province, middle-class farm
families increased from 319 to 2,7+8.
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDE~f.T9A~
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
CONEiDENT1A~
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 .CIA-RDP8O-OO8O9AOOO6OO35O413-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600350413-4
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CONFIDENTIAL ~~~F~D~~
1 rq~
Education and practical considerations are breaking down the traditional
.aversion of Chekiang farm women to working in the fields. In many villages,
up to 75 percent of the wo,~en are doing field work, releasing men to heavier
tasks. The farm work is thus being advanced in the season by as much as 2
weeks.
The women are also taking up supplementary industries to aid their eco-
nomy. They find that by weaving rush baskets and grass mats they can earn
up to one liter of rice per day, which is a sizable addition to the family
budget.
TO INITIATE INVESTIGATION OF AGRICiJIJPURAL CONDITIONS -- Canton Nan-fang
Jih-pao, 12 Aug 50
The authorities of Kwangtung Province have issued a directive governing
the procedures for taking as agricultural census of the province. The census
is to include information on population, amount of land under cultivation,
types and quality of soil, agricultural animal data, etc. It is believed the
census can be carried out in connection with the summer public grain collec-
tion.
- ~ . ~~~FanE~ria~
CONFIDENTIAL
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