EXPANSION OR USSR RETAIL TRADE; CRITICISM OF TRADE ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100490-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 24, 2011
• Sequence Number: 490
• Publication Date: February 16, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CONF?1DPNTrtl
t CENTRAL INTELL GL NCE AGNCY ON
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT .Economic
- Retail trade
HOW
PIIAIIcu-
WHERE
PUBLISHED USSR
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PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
12 Jun - 2 Oct 1952
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Newspapers as indicated.
EXPANSION OF USSR RErAn, TRADE'
C.RITIC!SM OF TRADE ORGgRIZpTION A
CPIVITIES
ffhe following report represents a compilation by republics of _
ticlee dealing with retail trade in cons ar
ffierBt goods and services in
the USSR as they appeared in the Soviet press over the period 12 June -
o
2 October 1952. While etreening tL general impro?e~nt and expansion
of retail trade, the newspapers frequently criticize the retail. trad-
trade log lawsorgani. The zations for inefficient operating methods and violation of
most frequently mentioned criticisms concern the fol-
low'ing: (1) inadequate selection of goods and poor consideration of
consumer needs, (2) pile-up of comm,xiitles in warehouses and distri-
bution bases, and (3) inconsiderate and often fraudulent treatment of
customers.
Numbers in parentheses refer to appended sources]
According to oats of the Ministry of Trade USSR, quoted by SazakhstanskaYa
Pravda, much more agricultural produce, especially vegetables, potatoes, ~milk
and other dairy products, was delivered to the kolkhoz markets of Moscow. Lenin-
grad, Kiev, Minsk and ,,Sad during the irsFrunze, months of other large cities and industrial centers of the
1952 than in the same period of 1951.
This increase of deliveries, according to the paper, was due to a consider-
able extent to the system of agreements concluded by the market administrations
with kolkhozes. The markets promised to provide the kolkhozes with adequate
market space, transportation, and the necessary industrial equipment, In Moscow
alone, 33 market administrations concluded more than 900 individual agreements.
New kolkhoz markets were opened in Minsk, Tbilisi, Yerevan, and Sverdlovsk. A
large market was reopened in?Riga., and new markets are now being constructed in
Leningrad, Kiev, Stalingrad, Kuybyshev, Novosibirsk, Sochi, Makhachkala, and
many 5 h(er)cities, Some of these markets are to be in operation before the end
19.
NSRB
FBI
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F3FSR
Moscow
to According to Moskovsiw va Pravda one of the most important measures taker
as
improve retail trade in Moscow was the organization and expa
work of specialized stores selling certain types of consumers' goods on a net-
of specialized departments and sections in the a stingde a and the is
and mixed-type stores. During the Period Tune August 1952, gnized
stores dealing mostly in consumers' goods were modernized and ropened.
Most of the specialized stores in Moscow, the aged by three specialized trading or ofa ' , + paper continued, are
S man-
ized Trading Organization for the Sale le of C1othi hio lL "Mosobu /Moscow w S e l-
ized TradingMosobu.~TM ~osco S cial-
ng Organization for the Sale of Footwear. L/, and "Mostekstil'" acow .
Specialized Trading Organization for the Sale of Textiles]. The stores now
being opened by these trading organizations carry a large assortment of ready-
to-wear clothing, footwear, and footwear, and fabrics of good quality. As of
12 September.1952, "Mosodezhda" had 41 stores in operation (2), thee last one, a
specialized underwear store, having opened on 26 August 1952. These stores
specialize in the sale of wool, silk, and cotton dresses, men's and women's
suits, overcoats, underwear, millinery, and furs. Thirteen new stores were
opened during the period May-August 1952, and it is planned to open ten more
stores before the end of 1952, five of them in September. The commodity trade
of "Mosodezhda" increased three times in the fourth quarter 1952 over the fourth
quarter 1951,(3) As of 12 September, "Mosobu4" also had 41 stores in operation,
and "Moatekstil"' 30 stores.
Moakbvska Pravda stated that it is Propos
specialized stores even further; at the suggestion ed to increase the Committee
of the Moscow Soviet and the Ministry of TadeUUSSR, the
azetrading organ-
izations for the sale of knit goods, haberdashery, toiletries, specialized construction materials are to be created in the near future. "Mostorg" (Moscow
State Industrial Goods Stores), the present inter-rayon industrial trading organ-
ization of the department store type, is being reorganized into a city trading
organization of department stores.(2)
According to Vechernyaya Moskva, a specialized de
istry of Light Industry that was partaen store t of the Min-
as an example of efficient operating put into operation on 9 August 1951 1951, can serve and selling con-
siders and caters to its customers' demandsandcarries s a largesse ply end assort-
ment of fabrics. In addition to many different kinds of summer and early fall
fabrics, 150 different desi.gt.s are available in cottor fabrics and 100 in satin.
In the first year of its existence, the store sold over 5 million meters of var-
ious fabrics supplied to it by textile enterprises of Moscow, Leningrad, Ivanovo,
and other cit.les.(4)
In another article, Vechern s ba fosktn stated that, although the enterprises
of Moscow's local
duction of consumers' goods asiaewhidustry ole, are meeting theirua the pro-
some items have proved unusable and of inferior quality. goods ia still poor and
of the Moscow Soviet, it reported, is 1coking into thimatterFanduis pPplanning t gtto
take adequate measures to improve the quality of consumers' goods,(5) o
Specialized trading organizations for the sale of food products as well as
industrial goods were also established, according to Moskovskaya Pravda. They
deal in such products as fruits and vegetables, bread and bake prcd;.cts, milk
and dairy products, meat products, and others. "Ldosovoshch" Moscow Specialized Organization for the Sale of Fruits and Vegetables? has in operation ~ 80
80
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CONFIDENTIAL
stores, many of which are iequ pped with refrigeration facilities, , and
new ntorgeesn operation by 16 B? (Food Trading conveyers, to have
d tires i tore" ocby S September 1952, according to Vechern Moa two
and kva
Pnducts pecialized Trading Organization for
f 1s to open two bakeries in the near future. The_dmfie ra a of Bread
Food Trading Organizations of Moscow is also setting c tandssfrtthe sale
Of vegetables, melons, and other up 1~0 stands for the sale
garden produce,(6)
However, as Moekovakava Pravda pointed out, the managers of some trading
organizations are slow in organizing large specialized stores, and "Soyuzgipro-
torg" (All-Union State Trade planning Institute), the Planning organ of the Min-
istry of Trade USSR, which has been entrusted with the development of new indus-
trial equipment for the specialized trade network, so far has done nothing to
produce such ent.(2) In addition, according to Vechernvava Moskva there
have been numerous rous c complaints about food trading stores in some rayons
city. For example, Stores in Zhdanovskiy, Proletarakiy, Molotovski , of the
sk~~ other rayons often lack adequate wrapping paper. Such Y Kuybyshev
-
g a; not waxed paper, Only the specialized stores Prodsas sufficient
giuantities of wrapping- paper. Wrapping paper for such items as cottage cheese,
cucumbers, berries, bread, and even chops is not available at all, in the regular
food stores. Other complaints include refusal to accept returnable containers,
rudeness of sales personnel, and unsanitary conditions in "Pisbchetorg" stores.(7)
Lens ad
In the 20 months preceding October 1952, Leningradakaya Pravda
new food and industrial stores were put in operation. To im reported
tail trade, specialized trading organizations _pr'ove and expand re-
prove re-
S, cialized Trading Organization forthetSale ofcBread 'Products7o,'"Leobuad
-Len' Specialized Trading Organization for the Sale of Footcrear 7, "Lenode_
zhda" LLe hngrad Specialized Trading Organization for the Sale of Clothing],
and Vegetable nin'ad Specialized Trading Organization. for the Sale of Fruits
and others were established. At the same time, however, the
paper pointed out, there are many serious shortcomings in the operation of some
is maids or anizati ns andPubllic eating enterprises. It asserted that no attempt
meet str
items which are available at distribution bases never mand their t npofppea ancen
the stores. The sales offices of "Gla aso" (Main make i Meat at
Meat Products), "Glavr?ybsbyt" (Main ~Y Administration of lest and
others are slow in supplying Leningrad with the necessary food products. The
Lade inoVegetables tatcea is also poorly organized, the paper stated;
does not g" Leningrad Fruits and Vegetables Trading Organization]
fulfill its plan for the delivery of potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.
According to the same source, the trade in industrial goods is also de-
ficient, and it is difficult to find children's clothing and other items of
goods quality. For example, 11,380 pairs of defective footwear were returned
to the trading organizations by its purchasers; many articles for which there
is great demand are not manufactured at all..
The operations of many public eating places and cafes have also been sub-
ject to criticism, according to LeninRradskaya Pravda. In the first 7 months
of 1952, it reported, more than ?,000 complaints were registered against nine
trading organizations for low-quality food and poor service in some of their
eating places.
The paper criticized the service in many stores as deplnrable, many stores
as dirty and unattractive, and their personnel as rude and dishonest. The plans
made for the organization of new stores, remodeling, and construction of ware-
houses for agricultural produce, it stated
uled.(8) , are not being carried out as sched-
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CONFIDELiTIA[,
al orusSSR
~2ulli ]?el reported that
comings in retail stores and there are atilt many serious short-
ticularly deplorable conditionebexistain~thenterprises,
public pointing out that par-
di districts and around the new construction publi eat eating rooms iselect workers '
shes, it stated, is extremel Projects in Minsk. The t quality, d
i of
tea sometimes is y limited, the food is of the p eree qual
t of customers thear trading several days at a time. It termed the treat-
men livery of vegetables and stores as often very discourteous and the de-
potatoes to the markets of Minsk as very inadequate.(9)
TEQAi-- ini
According to Pravda Ukraine there are
Public; an additional 13specialized , 9,740 specialized stores in the re-
re-
pub ;rniture stores selling clothing, footwear, millin-
Iryp f, and housewares ar-1 to be put in operation during the second half
of 1952. Public eating enterprises, the paper reported, have improved their ser-
vice and have been equipped with the latest refrigeration and other facili-
ties.(10) Leninskoye Znamva
tie new Public eat- quoted a Ministry of Trade Ukrainian SSR re
tiro eating places were established at mines port that
projects as of September 1952 and that an additional 00s~ bli new ionstruc-lic Places will be opened by the end of 1952. Altogether there areovere18,00000 pub-
lic eating enterprises in the republic. ?Pecial attention is being given to in-
creasing the variety of dishes and to improving the quality of food. In addition
to the equipping of public eating places with refrigeration facilities, the pre-
paration of food is now being mechanized.(fl)
Despite these improvements, a great deal of criticism eras directed by Pravda
12 smy against the Ministry of Trade Ukrainian SSR for not taking eters to in-
troduce more of the local resources into the trade network and to eliminate above-
norm inventories. The ministry's procurement program was said to be orly or-result themsselvesiove stocked ontsometcommioodditiesorganizations
which theereKiev
isnveryh po
littleidemandfind
from the public. The ministry, the paper reported, is also advant-
ages offered by specialization and is slow in organizing trade inunawaresuchof c tommodhe i_
ties as sewing goods, millinery, textiles, footwear, hosiery, etc. In the first
half of 1952, the number of specialized stores in Voroshilovgradsicaya Zaporozh-
akaya, Nikolayevskaya, L'vovskaya, and other oblasts actually decreased.
The paper stated that some enterprises of the Ministry of Light Industry,
Ukrainian Council of Invalids' Cooperatives, and Ukrainian Council of Industrial
Cooperatives have allowed the quality of their products such as clothing, foot-
wear, hosiery, etc., to deteriorate; thus violating the plan for assortment and
standards.
It criticized trade workers and executive committees of Oblast and city
soviets for lax control over the quality standards on consumers' goods and for
doing nothing to correct the existing deficiencies.
Although ko]khoz market trade has been increasing, the paper continued, its
c:ganization needs to be improved and steps should be taken against speculation
and reselling. It urged that better shipping and storage facilities for garden
and agricultural produce be
spoilage and loss at Provided in order to eliminate the great amount of
present.
It stated also that many complaints have been made against trade personnel,
who are of very low caliber, many being guilty of dishonesty, bureaucracy, and
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the squandering of st..te property, to say nothing of rudeness to customers. Not
enough control and preliminary character investigation is exercised by the man-
agement in the hiring and training of personnel, it concluded.(10)
Latvian SSR
During the first 8 months of 1952, l3 4 new stores and trading booths, as well
as 85 public eating enterprises, rere put in operation. However, according to
Sovetskaya Latviva this is not enough to alleviate the insufficient commercial.
facilities existing in the republic. In planning the construction of new resi-
dential housing it was decided to utilize the ground floor space for stores, din-
ing halls, and commercial warehouses, but this regulation is not always observed,
the paper stated.. It cited as an example the fact that in Riga, where whole r
streets of houses were built for the workers of the Railroad-Car-Building Plant
and the "REV (Riga Electrical Machine Building Plant) not a single metertfapace
w9s?provided for a store or a trade booth. 'Very often, it continued, designated
commercial locations are used for other' purposes; housing *be, administrative of-
fices of various artele,.housing projects, workshops, warehouses, and dormitories. (r)
Criticism of some furniture-making enterprises in Riga appeared Fs -T de
__atvj8
in Sovets-
. The complaint stated that some enterprises ignore consume-
mand for inexpensive and practical furniture and concentrate on more "advanta-
geous" and expensive items. For example, enterprises of the local industry and
the Latvian Cou;icil of Industrial Cooperatives, in the first half of 1952, not
only failed to meet the production plan by 962,000 rubles, but also failed to
manufacture enough reasonably priced furniture because they consider it "disad-
vantageous" to produce. Although spring mattresses are in constant demand, the
enterprises of the local industry have produced only 350 of them instead of the
900 specified by the plan. Bookcases, window cornices, and coat hangers are im-
possible to find. There are many. beds for adults, but hardly any children's
beds are available. Failure to manufacture enough' of these bed. I. blamed on
the lack of metal pipes, although it would be possible to substitute some other
material for the purpose,(13)
Lithuanian SSR
According to Sovetskaya Litva a large new specialized sporting goods store
is ready to be openedned in nyny,' it is the sixth specialized store to be
opened in recent months. A large food store is also ready to put in operation,
and a number of other specialized stores for the sale of foodstuffs, clothing,
footwear, fabrics, furniture, dishes, household utensils, and other necessities
are to be established in Vil'nyus and other cities of the republic. A great
deal of work is also in pro6rees in Vil'nyus, the paper stated in remodeling and
installation oferefrigerationdfaccilities, speci attention is given to
stores.(14) and al
space, in food
Nevertheless, complaints about trade deficiencies still prevail in the Lith-
uanian press. 3ovetskava Litva reported that trading organizations of "rOlavle-
gebyt" (Main Administration of Sales), in-
efficient in their procurement.of in-season scl thi Light Itead of summer are reap re ng. the stores are frill of winter clothes for which there isnno present demand.
apparel,
Utenokiy Rayon Consumers' Union, for example, received 50,000rubles' wrth of
goods, 10,000 rubles' worth of which were, out of season.(15)
Another example cited by the same paper was that of Shvenchenskiy Rayon
where retail store sell various types of inferior products and there have been
many cases of overcharging in public eating enterprises. Because the directors
of rayon executive committees are indifferent to cooperative trade the iiaper
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continued, the sale of necessary goods to kolkhozes and kolkhoz farmers is being
delayed. Such items as window glass, graded and roofing iron sheets, cement,
shovels, axes, and other implements and materials are not available in country
stores(sel'mags), although large supplies of these materials may be found stored-
in warehouses.
City workers, the paper reported, compldin that bakery products, kerosene,
and other necessities are not available in the stores for long intervals, but
all complaints go unheeded by the bureaucratic administrations of trading organ-
izations. It pointed to the Lithuanian Consumers' Union as being particularly
to blame, since it has ills ally increased prices on its products in order to
cover transportation costs. 16)
Estonian SSR
According to Sovetskayan report, the management of the Central Union
Consumers' Cooperatives has taken steps to improve and increase trade in ready-
to-wear goods to meet the growing demand for such products in villages. The sale
of these goods is at present concentrated in rayon and village stores as well as
in the large stores of fishermens and sovkhoz cooperatives. It is expected that
during 1952 consumers' cooperatives will put 150 new specialized ready-to-wear
millinery stores into operation and open special departments in 800 large rayon
stores.(17)
A great deal of criticism constantly appears in Estonian newspapers about
shortages and mismanagement. Sovetskaya- g atom reports that despite overfal-
fillment of the retail trade plan as a whole
do not meet their individual. plans. These incllude retailgstores ofzations
industrial
cooperatives and the trade network of the local and the shale and chemical in-
dustry. Both of these networks, according to the report, have over 1.00 stores
in operation carrying on extensive trade in products manufactured by industrial
cooperatives and local industrial combines. The fact that the plan was not ful-
filled, the paper stated, indicates that industrial cooperatives and local indus-
try still fail to use local raw materials to produce goods demanded by consumers.
The paper cited as an example the failure of the Ministry of Local Industry and
the Ministry of Shnle and Chemical Industry to carry out the plan for the manu-
facture of a large quantity of sandals for spring and summer wear, simply because
of lack of thread to sew the soles of the sandals, although the thread itself is
manufactured in the republic.
The same source stated of footwear, cl thing,, hosiery,y, ansome d other ditemsrs oredtinntheir warehouses, while
at the same time these products are not available in sufficient quantity in the
retail stores. Contrary to government regulations, it continued, many of these
trading organizations have overstocked on commodities for which there is no cur-
rent demand, (118)
In another article, Sovetskaya E.,o.i m complained as follows about deplor-
able conditions existing in the shoe trading organizations of Tallin,where at
one time one million rubles' worth of shoes had accumulated: Shoes originally
of first quality are stored in crowded basements, attics, and cold garages where
the temperature does not meet the required storage standards. For example, the
warehouse of one of the big stores in Tallin is located in the basement where
there is no daylight or ventilation. Because of crowded conditions, workers are
forced to distribute the shoes in open courtyards. Footwear accumulated is the
warehouses under such conditions eventually falls into the category of "spoiled
merchandise" or is delivered to the stores dusty, mildewed, and out of shape and
in broken or crushed boxes. Rubber footwear, which should only be stored in
certain temperatures is stored where temperatures fluctuate from extreme cold to
extreme warmth.
III - M1 -0
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ti The report continued: the warehouses of "Gla+iunivermag"
ing (Main Administra-
on Of Department Stores) are not much better than those of the industrial trad-
establishments. They are scattered all over the city and are Just as
cramped, A great deal of leather and rubber footwear is stored there for years.
It is kept in bulk, usually without boxes or other cover.
shoe
stores in Tallin are poorly equipped and unattractive, whic Many h might of acthecount for
the fact that footwear does not move from the shelves. Sales and procurement
are also poorly organized; orders to the shoe factories are given without due
consideration for consumers' tastes and requirements. This results in the ac-
cumulation of one type of footwear and a shortage of another (19)
Some criticism also appeared in Soveteka
tion"of kolkhoz market: trade. A nun'ber of Eatoni concerning the hick n za-
mal? he large surpluses of node ke khozea in Estonia which or-
Vi .y lions vebecause'of p agricultural produce were unable to open their pa-
lid where there shouldkhaveabeen'atTleast were
60. Shippin kfacilitiesihavesalso been
bad. The paper stated that their inadequacy had p g
Estonian SSR to decree the organization of receiving centers atokolkhozee and co-
operatives
her without makingwherextrae toetheccity,dbutvthatinotamuchthad been udonevto arry
this decree out.(20)
Karelo-Finnish SSR
Strong criticism of the operations of trading organizations and enterprises
appeared in two separate articles in Leninskoye Znamya. Complaints were made
of shortages, inefficiency, inferior quality, and the ile-u
warehouses. The paper cited the following examples: p o of commodities in
The stor the -
vodsk city trading organization often lack sufficient su
pplieseofotooth paste,
shoelaces, razors, and other everyday necessities. In the stores of the Min
istry of Timber industry the delivery of commodities was delayed by 38 days.
The same situation exists in the Karelo-Finnish Consumers' Union and in the Dor-
URS (Administration of Workers' Supply) of the Kirov Railroad System. The ware-
houses of these two organizations are full of goods amounting to millions of
rubles in excess of norm, whereas the stores do not meet the prescribed minimum
of salable commodities.(21)
The paper also cited many examples of cases where large surpluses of goods
for which there is little demand were allowed to pile up in warehouses. DorURS
of the Kirov Railroad System gave an order to ORS (Workers' Supply Division) of
the Kem' Railroad Division to accept a supply of beans that would last for at
least 10 years. In addition, 24?,000 rubles' worth of children's socks were de-
livered there although 12,000 rubles' worth of socks were already in stock.
The stores of the Kalevala Rayon Consumers' Union have enough stocks of barley
to last for at least 5 years, while other grain is not available. The Division
of Workers' Supply stores of Nadvoitskiy Lespromkhoz (Timber Management) often
lacks such commonly used products as soap, matches, grains, etc. There are also
cases of violation of the trade laws. For example, such commodities as furni-
ture, sports goods, musical instruments, pictures, dishes, and others which
should only be sold for cash are often sold on credit.(22)
Leninsko Znamva charged that, the Ministry of Trade Karelo-Finnish SSR
is negligent in its management of they trading organizations. Even in Petroza-
vodsk, it said, the ealea personn..! lc not bother to wrap purchases for their
customers and are generally teous,(21)
,?'menian SSR
During 1951 - 1952
enterpri , s c ;:,;::, to Izvea e 130 public
sea have come in't existence 1' tt ArrmenlannSSReto The number ofapeting
cle3ize stores has been :,,,bled, Speci^.'_zed stores selling clothing, fur arti-
ar, and food pi \ note are cam,.' in operation in Yerevan, Leninakan,
and Kirovakan.(23)
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Retail trade in Yerevan, another Izvesti a report stated, has shown
par
lar growth. Between mid-1951 and mid-1952, four new kolkhozmarkets, several
trading places, and 35 stores and cafes were opened. (24)A new three-story enclosed
central market was recently put in operation. It houses ten kolkhoz stores and
a pavilion where meats, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits are offered for
sale. In addition, storage space, refrigeration lockers, and laboratories for
checking the quality of products have also been provided.(24) Other stores in
Yerevan, according to the paper, are now equipped with new weighing and slicing
machines, refrigeration facilities, counters, and show windows, while the stores
and public eating enterprises are staffed with more competent workers. In 1952,
about 200 young commodity specialists, economists, technologists, and other
specialists, all graduates of trade tekhnikume and culinary schools, have entered
the ranks of trade workers.(23)
lished
Th Ministry of Trade ea specialized trading organic 1on,cCGruzodezhda~Ear ' Georgian Specialized
Trading Organization for the Sale u' Clothing?7, to improve trade in ready-to-
wear clothing, fur articles, and millinery. The stares of "Gruzodezhda" are to
be equipped with their own workshops where minor repairs and garment pressing
can be done. The Ministry of Trade allocated about 2 million rubles for the
equipment of these new specialized stores.(25) To supplement the expansion of
trade in ready-to-wear garments, the same paper reported in another article,
the ministry also organized a specialized trading organization for the sale of
footwear for which it is allocating 300,000 rubles. In Tbilisi, the new trad-showroo storageing to
Special several
courses stores
to r train equipped
about 60 tshoeesalesmen aremnows being organized.(26)
Zarya_ y o-stoka reported that on 20 June 1952, there were about 60 specialized
stores in ibilisi -- 17 of them dealing in industrial goods and 43 in food prod-
ucts. Most of these stores, according to the paper, are centrally located and
are well equipped and well stocked, but some stores do not meet this standard.
For example, the stores of "Glavkonditer" (Main Administration of Confectionery
I
ndustry) and "Glavrybsbyt" should be remodeled, while the stores of (anMain
byt
selection Sale
as Light Industry,
of such essential Ministry
coats, trousers, suits, and other necessary articles. Somesofthens summer
stores in Tbilisi are slow in modernizing, do not petitined
and offer poor service to their customers.(27) participate in competitioon,
According to another repnrt, the executive committee of the city soviet has
allocated space for new food stores in various rayons of the city. New stores
for the gale of tea, coffee, foodstuffs, fruits, and vegetables, and soft drinks
are expected to go into operation in the near future.(28)
As reported in Kommunist Tadzhikistana, th?! party and local soviets of
Stalinabad have carried out a number of measures to improve trade in agricul-
tural produce at the city's kolkhoz markets. As a result, a wide variety of
agricultural produce was made available to the ::onsumer. Agreements were made
between the markets and the kolkhozes for the delivery of meat, flour, vegeta-
bles, potatoes, and other products. The markets now nr:ivide better transpor-
tation and service facilities to kolkhoz farmers delivering their produce. Ade-
quate measures have also been taken to maintain' proper sanitary conditions at
the markets. On the avexage, the supply of agricultural produce in June, as
compared with May 1952, has increased 40 percent. Large quantities of meat,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100490-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100490-5
flour, cabbage, onions, cucumbers, grains, and fruit have become available at
lower prices. Due to the increased deliveries, the prices on beef and mutton
have decreased by an average of 20 percent and on potatoes and onions, by 50
Percent. Prices on cucumbers and cabbage are considerably lower.(29)
Turkmen SSR
Complaints that the regulations established by the Ministry of Trade Turkmen
SSR governing the footwear trade are being
appeared in Tvrlo flagrantly violated by stores have
nanska Iskra. For example, the stores of the Maryyskiy and
Chardzhouskiy rayon trading organizations have no chairs, footstools, portable
mirrors, or other facilities for fitting shoes. Many of these stores, instead
of carrying a complete supply of other shoe products such as shoe creams,
brushes, shoe horns, plates, etc., carry only one or another of these items.
Similar conditions exist in many stores of Ashkhabad industrial trading organi-
zations. Shop window displays of Ashkhabad industrial trading organizations
are very poor, while the stores of Chardzhouskiy and t!aryyskiy rayon lading
organizations have no shop windows at x11.(30)
SOURCES
1. Alma-Ata, Kazakhatanskaya Pravda, 13 Sep 52
2. Moscow, Moskovskaya Pravda, 12 Sep 52
3. Moscow, Vechernyaya Moskva, 26 Aug 52
4. Ibid., 27 Aug 52
5. Ibid., 28 Aug 52
6. Ibid., 15 Sep 52
7. Ibid., 26 Jun 52
8. Leningrad, Leningradakaya Pravda, 2 Oct 52
9. Minsk, Sovetskaya Belorussiya, 24' Sep 52
10. Kiev, Pravda Ukrainy, 22 Aug 52
11.' Petrozavodsk, Leninskoye Znamya, 2 Sep 52
12. Riga, Sovetskaya Latviya, 30 Sep 52
13. Ibid.; 6 Aug 52
14. Vil'nyus, Sovetskaya Litva, 5 Sep 52
15. Ibid., 24 Jul 52
16. Ibid., 12 Jul 52
17. Tallin, Sovetskaya Eatoniya, 26 Jun 52
18. Ibid., 2 Aug 52
19. Ibid., 13 S?ep 52
20. Ibid., 24 Jun 52
21. Leninskoye Znamya, 21 Jun 52
22. Ibid., 13 Jun 52
23. Moscow, Izvestiya, 25 Sep 52
24. Ibid., 27 Jur 52
25. Tbilisi, Zarya Vostoka, 16 Aug 52
26. Ibid., 2 Sep 52
27. Ibid., 20 Jun 52
28. Ibid., 21 Aug 52
29. Stalinabad, Kommuniat Tadzhikistana, 21 Jun 52
30. Ashkhabad, Turkmenakaya Iskxa, 30 Sep 52
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100490-5