AGRICULTURAL SITUATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006900670003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: June 2, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

I? The state of several LPGs (Landwirtschaftliche Produktions-Genossenschaften)
is causing serious worries to the East German government. The primary
deficiency is found in their low productivity. Whatever the actual reasons
for this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Soviet advisors
attached to it contemplate remedying the situation by the following steps:
a) changing the taxation of the LPGs, b) introducing wage norms, c) intro-
ducing stricter accountability in financial and political matters.
s.~.;?. 1_ L?s .vim=~... _- ye3... a,~ruL:~,i
WASWrIm"
Approved For Release 2008/09/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900670003-3
REPORT
CENTRAL Avow
E " . PORT
COUNTRY Ea at Germany
SUBJECT Agricultural Situation
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
opposition to *Ne planned wage norms. ;which "under present condition~s.9~would
leave the rural workers disgruntled and witsmaller earnings than fore.
The manpower or the LA-U
who joined the LPG @, s:
a e)sdesey asoag the forcer tesaate, th+it ave no ag to lens by print
the LPGs, to look for work in industrial 'enterprises. The former landowners,
who are not really permitted to leave the LPGs (and who do not want to run the
risk of losing, ro fad w1 a sh MWlaiex' -
poorly organized 'il is gesoralsthe e *B( saes to be orpaisod
fairly well and are stiff by itoeked wits the aecsssary agrislfural
machinery, they are often unable to'cope with the work because of. the bottle-
necks in the supply of parts fidr the tractors and other equipment. In
several MTSs which have a sufficient number of tractors of Soviet make
(the MTSs-are supplied with a large number of pieces of Soviet-made machinery),
the work is often interrupted because no parts are made available.
As in the (VEGs (vobkseigene Staatsgueter), the real headache in the LPGs
lies in the field of cattle-breeding. The lack of fodder 4nd the recurrence
of animal diseases plague the state farms and the LPGs. In one LPG (Klein
or Neu-Demin),dsease struck about 300 pigs in late March or early
April 1955,. To the requests to increase the production of meat, the farmers
answer with rests that the Ministry supply more and better fodder and
wipe outjvW?djIeases. In the VEGs, there is a growing reluctance toward and
STATE
ARMY
fe aot see
Approved For Release 2008/09/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900670003-3
DATE DISTR. 2 June 1955
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(uSTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1
25X1
 Approved For Release 2008/09/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900670003-3
4. As of the beginning of April 1955, the problem of wage norms for the
PEGa (and possibly for the LPGa) constitutes one of the most serious topics
of discussion and apparent disagreements. It seems that the spade work done
by the Soviet advisor, Serafim Alekaeyevich Kudriavtsev, who has been
traveling, inspecting, and introducing the system of wage norms in various
VNaa, has not yet led to the final acceptance of this system. The wage ndrms
have not yet been decreed for all state farms. The chief Soviet advisor,
Cherionushkin (f u), is alleged to have criticized Kudriavtsev for not having
pressed his point with sufficient energy.
~. In the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, there is scepticism about the
announcement of the ADN published in the Taegliche Rundschau of 10 April 1955,
according to which over 13,000 freight car loads of grain had been delivered
to East Germany from the Soviet Union. Nothing has been heard of any substantial
deliveries for the civilian sector. The deliveries may have been for the
Soviet army or an military warehouses.
ILLEGIB
Approved For Release 2008/09/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900670003-3