SOVIET DECREE INDICTS AGRICULTURAL FAILURES AND ATTACKS LAGGING GRAIN PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000200050012-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: March 11, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

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SOVIET DECREE INDICTS AGRICULTURAL FAILURES AND
ATTACKS LAGGING GRAIN PRODUCTION
I, Major points in the 2 March Land Reclamation decree of
the Soviet Party Central Committee,
A, The initial results of Soviet agricultural program
begun last August are sharply criticized.
In attacking inadequate grain production for the
first time, the decree reverses the earlier position
of Malenkov and Khrushchev who last autumn expressed
satisfaction with Soviet grain production and treated
it as the only sector of Soviet agriculture which
was above criticism,
II, The decree specifies the following failures of the general
agricultural program.
A, Livestock breeding is lagging, supplies of fodder are
even below those of 1952, and herds are now lower than
in 1940.
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11 March 1954
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B. Inadequate production of agricultural machinery
in 1953 has caused shortages of mechanized equipment
for agriculture,
C. The State Planning Commission, headed by Deputy
Minister Saburov, which had formerly escaped the
rising barrage of criticism of economic ministries,
was singled out for censure for misguiding agricultural
production,
III. The decree further notes failures in grain production.
Grain yields are deficient and grain acreages, because
of mismanagement, have fallen below the 1940 level,
B. Grain production has failed to keep pace either with
the requirements of the expanding population or with
"growing export needs."
IV. Grain failures are reflected in the shifting Soviet
trade pattern,
A. Grain exports, traditionally the most dependable
Soviet foreign exchang@._eg
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past year but are counted upon to play a major
role in the projected expansion of Soviet trade
with the West,
B, For example, the value of Soviet 1953 grain exports
to the United Kingdom, its largest Western customer,
fell to roughly $10,000,000 from the 1952 total of
approximately $100,000,000,. The USSR has substituted
gold for wheat in its export pattern with the UK,
C. Similar but smaller declines have been noted in Soviet
grain exports to other Western countries,
Remedies proposed by the decree,
A, In the next two years, more than 30,000,000 acres of
marginal land in Kazakstan and in the Urals-Volga
region are to be put into production,
B, The government plans to dispatch this year 100,000
new workers to the lands to be reclaimed in addition
to technicians who are to be diverted from established
Machine Tractor Stations and from industry,.
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Ca' Despite these measures, unfavorable soil and climate
conditions in the areas to be reclaimed limit the
prospects of success,
VI, Implications
A.. The candid revelations of the new decree provide
further indications that Soviet agricultural progress
is falling far short of Soviet expectations and
threatens the success of the entire consumer goods
program,
B, The new emphasis on grain production reflects Soviet
difficulty in supplying sufficient alternative exports
to finance a large-scale increase in imports,
C. This decree's criticism of the State Planning Com-
mission may reflect on its chairman, Saburov, thought
to be a protege of Malenkov, However, the scope of the
criticism also includes Party responsibility for
agricultural failures.
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SOVIET DECREE INDICTS AGRICULTURAL
FAILURES AND ATTACKS LAGGING
GRAIN PRODUCTION
I. Major points in 2 March decree.
A. Criticism of new agricultural
program.
B. First attack on inadequate grain
production.
1. Reverses Malenkov and Khrushchev
position of last fall.
II. Decree lists failings of general agri-
cultural program.
A. Livestock and fodder program lagging.j
B. Industry fails to produce sufficient
agricultural equipment.
C. State Planning Commission censured
for misguiding agricultural pro-
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III. Decree specifies failures in grain
production.
A. Yields are deficient and acreages
less than in 1940.
B. Production behind requirements of
population and "growing export
needs."
IV. Grain deficiency reflected in shifting
Soviet trade pattern.
A. Grain exports fell sharply in 1953.
1. Shipments to UK only 10 per-
cent of 1952 but USSR sub-
stitutes large gold sales.
B. Export of grain counted upon to
play major role in a projected
Soviet trade expansion with the
West.
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V. Remedies proposed by decree..
A. Planting of over 30,000,000
acres of marginal land in next
two years.
B. Transfer of technicians and at
least 100,000 laborers to new
lands this year.
C. But success of these measures
limited by unfavorable soil and
climate conditions.
VI. Implications
A. Disappointing progress of agricul-
tural program threatens entire
consumer goods program.
B. New emphasis on grain production
indicates difficulty in supplying
alternative exports to finance
increased imports.
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C. Criticism directed both at
Gosplan, headed by Saburov,
considered $alenkov protege,
and party mechanism, headed by
First Secretary Khrushchev.
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