CHINESE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE REPORTS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION RESTORED TO NORMAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700030678-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 6, 2011
• Sequence Number: 678
• Publication Date: January 16, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/17: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700030678-5
CLASSIFICATIO,j~,_~~mrFOR~MALTION COHfIDEN11Al
~~% 50X1-H U M
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD F:O.
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
China
Economic - Agriculture
DATE OF
INFORMATION
1951
HOW
PUBLISHED
Daily newspaper
DATE DIST. ~~ Jan 1952
W
HERE
PUBLISHED
Canton
N0. OF PAGES
2
DATE
PUBLISHED
8 Nov X951
Txl{ OOGYY[uT CO{nlln nro[Y{n0[ 11[CTIN TMt ?1no[ll O[I[{l1
0I TN[ V{In0 {Ilia{ Inn iM[ ^n{n{ OI [{nOVNI {CI [{
[. [. c.. {~ {xo n. a ?q{[{o. m nuunuox ox m {n[uno{
or m co{nxn a u1 a{m ro {o uuunau:m ru[o[ n rn?
[umo n l{x. nwo{o[nox o/ Ixu ron n nroxnm{.
Nan-fang Jih-pao
CffiNESE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE REPORTS
ACRICULT[JRAL PRODUCTI N RESTORED TO NORMAL
The Minister of Agriculture, Li Shu-chen, speaking before
the People's Political Consultative Conference reported that
basically agricultural production in China has been restored in
the peat 2 years. Crain production for 1951 has been restored
to 92.8 percent of the highest prewar level while cotton has ex-
ceeded the highest prewar level by 17.8 percent.
The land-reform program has been completed in nn area inhabited
by over 300 million people. Peat control work durin 1950 vas able
to save 1.6 billion cntties (one catty equals to 1 1~3 lbs.) of
grain, but peat damages for 1951 are both more serious and more ex-
tensive than in 1950?
During 1951, crops on 35 million mou (one mou equals 1~6 acre}
of farmland were destroyed by drought. Achievement in organizing
the peasants van shown by the fact that 60 percent of the peasants
in North China and 70 percent in the Northeast have Jolned mutual-
aid teams,
The Minister of Agriculture of the Central People's Government L1 Shu-
chen, speaking at the Third Seeeion of the First National Committee of the Chi-
nese People's Political Consultative Conference on 29 October 1951, said ?~t
agricultural production in Chine as a whole hna been restored to normal ands to
some extent, developed further in the past 2 years. $ighlights of hie report
are ae follows:
At present, the over-all production in grain bee been restored to 92.8
percent of the highest prewar mark. Cotton output has exceeded the highest pre-
xar record by 17,8 percent and thus basically freed China from the semicoloniel
position of depending on imports. Because of this restoration and development
of aBx'icultural production, the living standard of the people and economic con-
di?ion of the peasants have improved.
COMFIDF~lTi~l.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/17: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700030678-5
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/17: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700030678-5 ~
CONfIDENTI~I
The reasons for the rapid restoration in agricultural production in this
short 2_yeer period are due primarily to the correct leadership of Mao Tse-
tung, the Chinese Communist Party and the people's government; the bravery
sad accomplishments of the People a Liberation Arrgy; the suppression of
counterrevolutionaries; and the stabilization of social order. The land-
reform program, which hen been completed in an area populated by more than
300 million; the Reeiat America, Aid Korea Movement; and the current produc-
tion emulation movement have helped in bringing about the good results.
During the peat 2 years iermere have constantly struggled against various
natural calamities. Due to the long period of neglect sad destruction of
many flood_preventioa pro,~ecta during the Japanese occupation and Kuomintang
rule, serious floods occurred during 1949. Because of the heroic effort and
work on water conservation by the peasants, the 1950 agricultural quota vas
basically met. During 1950, peat-control work covered an area of over 100
million mou and resulted in saving 1.6 billion cattiee of grain from destruc-
tion. Damage by pests during 1951 was more serious and extensive than is
1950? Locust, aphids, and moths have devastated more than 120 million mou.
Under the leadership of governments a? various levels, the mobilized peasants
have contributed over 800 mil~on man-days to pest extermination and preven-
tion work. The peat problem, t present, is basically eliminated.
During 1951, s farming area of g0 million mou in 15 provincial ch'u were
affected by drought; 35 million mou oP crops were destroyed. Tremendous
effort vas expended under the drought-control movement to dig wells and
canals. In this way, over 8.5 million mou of the affected land were irrigated.
The efforts of the leadership of the Communist party were responsible for ful-
filling +.he 1951 production quota in cotton, grains, and other farm products.
Production figures for 1950 were surpassed for all of these.
The rapid recovery in agriculture during the past 2 years was achieved in
part, by organizing the peasant masses. Sixty percent of the peasants in
North Chine and 70 percent in the Northeast have Joined the mutual aid teems.
In the old liberated areas, these teams have grown from simple mutual assistance
in labor end draft animals to cooperation in economy and production with the
emergence of agricultural cooperatives end ~pnd ccoperatives. The spirit of
Watual aid and cooperation were important Pnctore in the production record.
In this year's patriotic production emulation movement, many new records
in yield per unit area were established. For ir,atance, Model Worker LS Shun-ta,
of Shansi, who is currently attending the conference, vas able to produce 980
cattiee of corn per mou this year. Another model worker, Ch'u Yeo-li,
achieved a new record of 920 cattiee of cotton per mou. This 1s more than 12
times the average prewar cotton yield per mou. Other achievements of this sort,
though not as striking, are made in many localities. They are testimonies to
the possibilities ahead and encouragements to our present patriotic production
emulation movement. It also shows that our current plan and emphesie on higher
yield per unit, as a means to increase production, is a correct one.
CONFIO~~llll ~.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/17: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700030678-5