POSTWAR RETAIL COMMODITY TURNOVER IN SOVIET TRADE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160284-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2011
• Sequence Number: 284
• Publication Date: February 23, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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STAT
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Voprosy );konomiki, Plo 8
Moscow, Aug 1953
From 1928 to 1940, USSR retail com.~odity turnover, at comparable prices,
increased 360 percent. During the postwar period, commodity tarncver has in-
creased 190 percent and has greatly exceeded the prewar level.
From December 194"j to April 1952, retail prices on bread and bakery prod-
ucts, flour, groats, and macaroni were lowered 60 percent. In 1953 they were
lowered again. For the same_amount of money which in 1947 purchased one kilo-
gram of bread, one can now august 195 buy 2.85 kilograms. The sale of bread
has increased greatly. The proportion of bread and bakery products in commod-
ity turnover is considerable, but it has a tendency to decrease along with the
reduction of prices because of the increased consumption of other products.
The sale of meat and meat products has also developed widely. The central
market stocks of meat In 1952 increased 130 percent over 1948. In 150, 38 per-
cent more meat was sold in state and cooperative trade, not including sales
from local markets, than in 1940. In 1952, the sole of meat increased 45 per-
cent over 1950. In the postwar years, retail prices on meat and meat products
have decreased steadily. At present, it is possible to buy 2.8 kilograms of
meat for the same amount of money which at the end of 194,' would buy only one
kilogram.
The 1952 fish catch increased almost j0 percent over 1940. In 1950, 51 per-
cent more fish was sold in state and cooperative trade than in 1940, not in-
cluding sales of local markets. During 1951-1952 the sale of fish products
rose by an additional 29 Percent.
Zn 1951, butter production increased in comparison with 1940 by 132,000
tons. The sale of fats is increasing rapidly. In state and cooperative trade
alone, not considering sales from local markets, 59 percent more butter was
sold in 1950 than in 1940, and 6'j percent more vegetable oil and other fats.
In 1952, the people obtained through the state and cooperative trade network
31 percent more butter, vegetable oil, an3 other f'nts than in 1950. The re-
duction of prices on fats promoted an increased consumption of fats. For
example, prices on margarine in 1953 are 55.3 Percent lower than on 16 Decem-
ber 1947, and prices on vegetable oil are 35.2 percent lower. t7ow it is
possible to obtain more than 3 kilograms of creamery butter for the same amount
of money that purchased one kilogram in 1947.
However, despite the great increase in the production and sale of meat,
fish, and butter in the postwar years, consumer demand for these products is
st1'.1 not wholly satisfied, since it increases faster than production. The
satisfaction of popular demand for these products depends on further successes
in livestock raising and fishing, and also on the improvement of storage
facilities and the delivery and sale of meat and fish to the people.
The sale of dairy products and eggs in the USSR is rapidly increasing.
Prices on these products are being reduced substantially. In 1953, prices on
eggs were 41.5 percent lower, and milk prices 27.1 percent lower, then on
16 December 1947.
In 1952, sugar production exceeded the prewar level by more than 50 per-
cent. In 195D, 33 Percent more sugar and 34 percent snore confectionery goods
was sold in the state and cooperative network (not including sales f_ >m local
?~ .
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markets) than in 1940. In 1952, the people bought 63 percent more sugar and
34.5 Percent more confectionery goods than in 1950. The great reduction of
prices on sugar and confectionery goods has promoted the consumption of these
products. "low it is possible to get 2.27 kilograms of sugar for the same
amount of ens :y which in 1947 would purchase only one kilogram of sugar.
A c~arked change in the structure of commodity turnover occurred in the
postwar period, chiefly in connection with the increased production and sale
of the most important food products. This is confirmed, for examnle, by
changes in the consumption of bread and bakery products after the 1 March 1y50
reduction of retail prices on bread by an average of 25-30 perceni. Such a
sharp reduction of retail prices did not bring any considerable increase in
the deman~ for bread. An average of only 2 percent more bread was sold daily
in March 1950, than in February 1950. Consu^~ption of wheat bread and high-
quality bakery products increased, while consumption of rye bread decreased.
Whereas until the war 50 percent of the total amount of bread consume3 in
Moscow was wheat, in 1y52 this was increased to '~0 percent.
The structure of conmodity turnover in state and cooperative trade
in Rostovskaya Oblast (including the Rostov City) may be taken as an example.
In 1952, the sale of food products in Rostovskaya Oblast increased consider-
ably over 1948. The volume of commnodity turnover, at comparable prices, in-
creased for all kinds of food products. However, the amount of increase
varied for individual types of goods. The volume of sales of such products
as bread and bakery products, flour, groats, legumes, macaroni products, salt,
tea, and nonalcoholic beverages increased less than the turnover of food
products as a whole. As a result, the proportion of these products in the
over-all turnover of food commodities in 1952 was reduced in comparison with
1947 by almost one third. T11e greatest increase in the volume of commodity
turnover occurred in such goods as sugar, confectionery products, tnent and
meat products, fish and fish products, mills and dairy products, canned goods,
eggs, fruit, and cucurbits. The proportion of all these products in the
commodity turnover in 1952 was much higher than in 1948. The share of canned
goods, eggs, mi'_k and dairy products, and sugar and confectionery products in
the total commodity turnover increased 50 to !00 percent. The proportion of
such goods as meat and meat products, fish and fish products, fats, grape
wine, and beer c?ose considerably in the turnover of food products.
The sale of sausage products in 1952 in Rostovskaya Oblast increased
approximately 100 percent in comparison with 1948, and the sale of canned
meat products increased more than 20G percent. The sale of fish products
over the same period increased about 50 percent, including more than 500 per-
cent for canned fish. The sale of sugar and confectionery products almost
doubled, an3 the sale of vegetable oil more than double3.
The commodity turnover in all forms of Soviet trade expresses more or
less fully the pattern of consLUnption as it concerns the city population only.
The rural population receives the greater part of its basic food products
directly from the kollchozes and p?rsonnl plots of farmers. Therefore, the
larger proportion of many food commodities (for instance, meat products, milk
and dairy products, potatoes, vegetables, groats, and legumes) are sold in
the city than in rural areas.
At the same time, the consumption of processed food products by the rural
population is growing. In 1952, the kolkhoz peasantry obtained from consumer
cooperatives 2yu yercent more vegetable oil than in 1948, and 180 percent more
sugar and confectionery products.
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Clothing and footwear in 1951 made up somewhat less than one third of the
total turnover of manufactured goods, and 13.2 percent of the retail turnover
of the state and cooperative trade network. The proportion of these goods in
retail commodity turnover is increasing from year?to year.
The production and sale of textiles is increasing steadily. Beginning
with the Second Five-Year Plan, when great progress was made in the development
of light industry, the assortment of textiles has improved continucusly, and the
proportion of higher grade fabrics has been increasing. The proportion of high-
quality fabrics increased especially rapidly in the postwar period. The pro-
duction of woolen, silk, and high-grade cotton fabric is increasing at a more
rapid rate than the production of cheap grades of cotton fabric. In 1952, 30
percent more cotton fabric was produced than in 1,40, about 60 percent more
woolen fabric, and 180 percent more silk fabric.
While cotton fabric production as a whole increased 140 percent during the
Fourth Five-Year Plan, particular increases were noted in the following types
of fabric: calico, by 22 times; sateen, by 7.3 times; and colored woven cloth,
by fi.2 times. During 195:. alone, more than 2,200 new designs for fabric were
worked out and put into production in the cotton industry. The proportion of
high-quality cotton fabrics such as print, mercerized, and ,jacquard, and of
fast color fabrics, was increased. In woolen fabrics; the proportion of high-
quality worsted ups increased, and the proportion of coarse woolen fabric was
reduced. During the Fourth Five-Year Plan, the output of high-grade products
was increased as follows: from 82 to 90.5 percent in the cotton industry; from
89 to 94.2 percent in the linen industry; from 84 to 89.5 percent in the woolen
fabric industry; and from 60 tc 73.4 percent in the silk industry.
The production and sale of sewn goods are developing widely. As canpared
with the preceding year, the following percentage increases occurred in the
sale of sewn products: in 1949, 29 percent; in 1950, 33 percent; in 1951, 14
percent; and in 1952, 11 percent.
Along with the rapid increase in, purchasing power in the postwar period,
t}re demand for woolen cloth has risen sharply, especially for high-quality
worsted fabric and for sewn goods from this type of fabric. However, the
demand considerably exceeds the increase in production of these goods. Pro-
vision has been made for n Brent increase in the production of woolen fabrics
and garments in the Fifth Five-Year Plan.
A first-class footwear industry has been established in the USSR. Factory
production of leather footwear has increased by more than 30 times in comparison
with 1913. In 1952, 250 million pairs of leather footwear and 125 million
pairs of rubber footwear were manufactured. The Soviet state guarantees a
continuous increa^,e in the sale of footwear. In comparison with 1)40, the sale
of chrome leather, Russia leather, and combination leather footwen;? was' in-
creased in 1952, and the sale of textile footwear was decreased.
In the first postwar years, the volwne of sales of individual kinds of
sanitary supplies and perfumery goods increased sharply; the rate of increase
in the turnover of these goods exceeded the rate of increase in commodity turn-
over as a whole. In 1950 alone, the sale of toilet soap increa^,ed 86 percent,
laundry soap 38 percent, and perfumes 35 percent. However, beginning with 1951,
the rate of increase in turnover of these goods slowed down, and the proportion
of these goods in the commodity turnover as a whole was somewhat reduced. In
1951, and 1952, the increase in the sale of soap xas 'somewhat slower than the
increase in connnodity turnover as a whole. The reason for this is that consumer
demand for sanitary goods is now being satisfied completely, and any increase in
sales of these goods is due mainly to a shift in popular demand to better grade
soaps and perfumes. The people have purchasing power because of the repeated
large-scale price reductions on these goods.
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In recent years some success has been achieved 1n the product;on of new
types of furniture and ex ansion of trade in furniture. The sale of furniture
hss'increased as follows~n percent of the preceding year): in 1949, 38 per-
cent; in 1950, 38 Percent; in 1951, 50 percent; and in 1952, 20 percent. The
rate of increase in furniture sales has greatly exceeded the rate of increase
in commodity turnover as a whole.
There has been a shift toward quality in 3lshware sales. In 1946, the
share of glass, china, and pottery in all dishware goods amounted to 28.8 per-
cent; in 1949, this percentage increased to 41.3. Consumer demand for china
dishware is growing on a large scale.
Because of large-scale rural electrification in recent years, the demand
for electrical appliances has increased. In 1950, 50 percent more household
electrical appliances were sold than in 1940.
Ter. of thousands of books are published yearly in the USSR. A great num-
ber of ,hese publications are circulated on a scale equaled by no other country.
Trade in books in the USSR is expanding along with the development of the
library network.
The sale of such goods as radio receiving sets, phonographs, and various
musical instruments (pianos, accordions, etc.) has increased at a much higher
rate in the USSR than that of commodity turnover ns a whole. The sale of
radic receiving sets in 1950, as compared with 1940, increased sixfold and has
continued to increase rapidly. For example, in 1951 and 1952, the sale of
radios and television sets in Moscow increased by 70 percent. In Rostovskaya
Oblast the sale of musical instruments and radios in 1952 increased more than
150 percent, over 1946.
In 1933, 132,400 bicycles were manufactured and sold in the USSR, and in
1938,.385,600 bicycles. In 1950, the sale of bicycles increased 190 percent
over 1940; in 1951, 86 percent over 1950; and in 1952, 130 percent over 1950.
Sales of motorcycles in 1950 were 16 times those of 1940.
Prior to collectivization, commodity turnover of manufactured goods in the
rural trade network had certain characteristic features. The proportion of tex-
tiles, especially cotton fabrics, was exceedingly high, amounting to 46 percent
~f all rural sales of manufactured goods; the proportion of sewn good, was ex-
tremely low, amounting to 2.5 percent of the total commodity turnover. The high
proportion of cotton fabric in the total tuurnover of manufactured goods and the
small proportion of sewn goods and other consumer goods resulted from the limited
and unstable purchasing power of the small pea...nt farms. To satisfy their
minimum needs for clothing, the peasants had to do without many other articles.
In addition, the peasants had to spend a large part of their meager budget for
purchasing and repairing agricultural equipment.
Only since the beginning of collectivization have the farmers been able to
improve their material welfare. Raising the level of consumption of the rural
population to that of the urban population was a difficult task, especially
since the urban level of cons~uaption is constantly rising. Considerable success
in raising the level of rural commodity turnover was achieved during the Second
Five-Year Plan, especially in cultural goods, textiles, footwear, knitted goods,
and sanitary goods. Over the period 1933-1938, for example, the sale of the
most important cultural goods in the rural trade network of consumer cooperatives
increased as follows: musical instruments, by 16.6 times (including phonographs,
by 20.5 times); radio goods, by almost 4 times; sports goods, by 14.8 times (in-
cluding bicycles, by 53.2 times); clocks and watches, by 2.5 times; chinaware,
by 5.7 times; and furniture, by 17.9 times.
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In 1940, the proportion of woolen, silk, and linen fabric in the total
amount of fabric sold in rural areas amounted to 25.5 Percent and the amount
of cotton fabric to 74.5 percent; in the first half of 1952, the proportion
of the former increased to 32 percent at comparable prices, and the latter
was cut to 68 percent.
In 1952, the 'solkhoz peasantry purchased from consumer cooperatives more
of the following commodities, in comparable prices, than in 1948: 195 per-
cent more silk fabric; 144 percent more sewn goads; 140 percent more knitted
goods and hosiery; 190 percent more leather footwear; 395 Percent more furni-
ture; 164 percent more radios and musical instruments; and 140 percent more
books. The proportion of. rural communities in the total consumption of
fabrics, sewn goods, and other manufactured goods has continued to increase.
In 1951, the prewar level in the sale of fabrics in rural areas was surpassed
by almost 50 percent, and the sale of higher-grade silk fabrics exceeded the
prewar level 175 percent. In 1952, rural consumer cooperatives supplied
8.8 times as many radio receiving sets as in 1940, 4.9 times as many bicycles,
and 4 times as much photographic equipment. Because of the tremendous in-
crease in the consumption of cultural goods in rural areas during the post-
war period, the, proportion of cultural goods in the retail turnover of con-
sumer cooperatives in 1952 was more than double that of 1940.
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