STATE FARMS FAIL TO REACH GOALS FOR 1952 PRODUCTION OF COTTON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 570
• Publication Date: June 15, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT Economic - Agriculture, cotton production,
state farms
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily nexspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED China
DATE
PUBLISHED 20 Dec 1952 - 25 Feb 1953
LANGUAGE Chinese
~ummary: Two state farms near Peiping directly under control of
the Ministry of Agriculture issued high production challenges to the
nation in 1952 and then completely failed to attain their goals of
Prom 450 to 1,000 cattier of cotton per mou (one mou equals 1/6 acre).
STATE FARMS FAIL TO REACR GOALS
FOR 1952 PRODUCTION OF CO'PI'ON
The first tractor station in the new China has aroused great en-
thusiasm among the farmers.
CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTID
SECURITY INFORMATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
REPORT
CD N0.
DATE OF
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
Shensi farmers have been getting irrigation systems in shape dur-
ing the winter for big 1953 crops. The writer of a letter to a news-
paper scores waste of funds needed in production_~
STATE FARMS FAIL IN PRODUCTION -- Feiping, Jen-min Jih-pao, 6 Feb 53
(Report by txo-staff reporters) In March 1952, the Shuang-chieo Mechanized
Agricultural Institute Demonstration Farm and the Wu-li-tieu State Farm, both
controlled directly by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Central People's Govern-
ment,took the lead in conjunction with ten other state farms in challenging the
nation to high cotton production during 1952?
The Shuang-ch'iao farm set as its goal an over-all average production of 450
cattier of unginned cotton per mou which xas 52 percent over the 1951 production
on the farm. A goal of 1,G00 cattiea of unginned cotton per mou wea set Por a
plot of 30 mou of specially cultivated land.
The Wu-li-tfen farm advertised as its goal an average of 550 cattiea of un-
.ginned cotton per mou on 800 mou of irrigated land, or 15o percent over 1951 pro-
duction. Its goal for production on 900 mou of nonirrigated land was 450 cattiea
of unginned cotton per mou, 109 percent over 1951; and on 10 mou of special high
production land the goal was 1,000 cattier per mou.
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5 ~
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5
At harvest time, the Shuang-ch'iao farm harvested only 258 cattier of un-
gianed cotton per mou as the average of both their general and special produc-
tion plots. This vas less by 38 cattier per mou than the 1951 production. The
production on the 30-mou demonstration plot vas 508 cattier, slightly over one-
half the goal. The Wu-li-tien farm harvested 204 cattiPs per mou on the 800 mou
of irrigated land and 289 cattier per mou on the 900 mou of nonirrigated land.
The average production on this farm (including the special demonstration plot of
10 mou) was 228 cattier of unginned cotton per mou, only 13 cattiea per mou over
1951.
What were the causes of these failures to reach the goals net, failures
vhich made them a laughing stock to the individual farmers in the area vho had
better yields than in 19512
Some said it vae too clone planting. However, the fields that had the
thickest stand (up to 5,400 plants per mou) produced the beet yields. The ex-
perience of individual farmers over a period of years in planting thicker stands
also supports the idea that thicker planting is an advantage: the failure, then,
must be attributed to methods of operation.
The Wu-li-tien farm used as a basic fertilizer (preplanting) a mixture
of 2,000 cattiea per mou of local manures mixed with earth, 150 cattiea of cotton-
seed cake, and >+0 cattiea of lime. Later, 200 cattiea of cottonseed cake and 65
cattiea of lime phosphate per mou were added. These fertilizers contained 26
cattiea of nitrogen, 24 cattier of phosphoric acid, and 17 cattiea of potassium
oxide. Soviet practice calla for 31 cattier of phosphoric acid per mou to pro-
duce 500-600 cattiea of unginned cotton per mou. The authorities at Wu-li-tien
knee they were short on phosphoric acid vhich is necessary to insure timely ripen-
ing of cotton flowers and to prevent bode and bolls from dropping, but they did
nothing about it. Also this lack resulted in delayed maturity and frost damage.
Furthermore, the soil was not tested to discover its degree of receptiveneae to
each of the elements is the fertilizer. In connection with the application of.
follow-up fertilizer, there vas failure to irrigate properly.
2. Irrigation
At the Wu-li-Tien farm a policy of frequent light irrigation vas an-
nounced, but in practice irrigatio~i vae too heavy and too late. On the Shuang-
ch'iso farm the irrigation practice for uneven ground vas very faulty.
3. Pruning and Topping
The tvo farms handled the pruning and topping processes improperly. They
left too many main branches on the stems. When the rainy season came on these
grew too rank and heavy.
The farms were on guard against aphids sad red spiders but made no prep-
aration to deal with boll weevils vhich, consequently, took a very heavy toll.
5= General Failure
While it cannot be denied that 1952 was a difficult year weather-wise
and that in some areas insects pests were more numerous than usual, it is ap-
parent that had the advanced scientific knowledge and equipment available to
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIARDP80-00809A000700110570-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5
these farms been accompanied by a reasonable amount of common-sense planning on
the part of those privileged to have these advantages, preparations could have
been made to forestall the worst effects of weather and pest troubles.
According to Fan Pao-kcal, chief of the production.unit on the Shuang-
ch'iao farm, the production challenges were issued without any real preparation,
such as evaluation of all the factors involved, both favorable and unfavorable.
Even the farm workmen called it only aflash-in-the-pan, idle boasting. At i7u-
li-tien, the basis for setting a goal of 1,000 catties per mow for high pro-
duction, was that since ch'14 Yao-li, an individual farmer in Shansi, had a goal
of over 1,000 catties It would look bad for a state farm to have a smaller goal.
However, they failed to study his methods or profit by his techniques.
Because the leaders announced their policies without expleining~to the
corkers the principles behind the policies, there was a lack of mesa enthusiasm.
Hence, many of the operations required much more labor time than was required for
tY.e same operations by the neighboring individual farmers or mutual aid teams who
did not have the benefit of modern equipment and scientific instruction. Little
attention was .paid to cost accounting. Many coals involved in the use of ma-
chines were not included in the final figures. In some of the operations, actual
losses were suffered. The farms not only failed to make good on their challenges
but were much lees than an inspiring example in the community where they are sup-
posed to set high standards of efficiency in production. Such failures must not
be allowed to happen again.
FIRST TRACTOR STATION IN NEW CHINA -- Chiu-Chiang, Hsin-Hung-te'un Pao, 25 Feb 53
In Sunkiang Province, Northeast China, there has appeared the first Tractcr
Station, called the Hua-ch'uan Tractor Station. In this station there are six
tractors, Pour Soviet five-bottom plows and many other new style farm implements.
They are specifically for the service of the nearby farmers.
The Tractor Station made written agreements with the farmers, guaranteeing
to plow and harrow their fields. Last spring they plowed more than 6,000 mow.
Nov the 800 fanning households of nine villages, knowing the advantages of the
arrangement, on their own initiative, have organized and made a request that the
tractors plow for them.
Tractor plowing proved to be fast and labor-saving. Last spring continued
rains delayed plowing, but the farmers near the Tractor Station, instead of being
later than usual, had their plowing done in half the usual time. In using a
tractor to plow 3,600 mow of land there is saving of 760 man-days of labor and
an equal saving of animal power. Expressed in another way, a tractor will plow
2 mow in 15 minutes while two men with two bullocks need a whole day to do the
same amount of work with the old-style plow. Furthermore, the tractor pulling
the five-bottom plow does a better fob. All the land so plowed last year pro-
duced good crops.
The Hua-ch'iSan Tractor Station is now planning to increase its work and dur-
ing the next season to piuw 30,000 mow so that all farmers of the surrounding
villages can avail themselves of the service.
As the nation's Sndustry expands, new China will have this sort of tractor
station everywhere.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5 ~
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5
SHENSI FARNLR3 PREPARE IRRIGATION LANAIS FOR 1953 -- Sian, Chun-chung Jih-pao,
20 Dec 52
In the first 15 days of November 1952, the peasants of western Shensi re-
moved silt, levelled washouts, straightened banks, etc. on 314.24 kilometers of
main and branch irrigation canals. Since the introduction, under the people's
government, of modern equitable methods of water supply a:ul control for irriga-
tion, the peasants' interest in the upkeep of the irrigation system has re-
markably increased. Wlater wheat raisers nav realize that to be able to irri-
gate their vinter xheat in early spring they must put the irrigation system in
order in vinter.
Because of poor crops in 1952, in some areas the men sought vinter employ-
ment away from home. Hence the women in these areas mobilized to take the places
of the L men in irrigation repair work. There was keen competition between the
men and women on the Job. In some cases, the women were able to move 2.8 cubic
miters of earth each 1n one day. The men were thus roused to greater effort.
Because of this competitive spirit, a Job estimated to require 7 days vea com-
pleted in 4 days.
CORRESPOIIDENT SCORES FAR2~R'S IJtBROGRESSIVENE53 -- Chiu-Chiang, Hsin-nung-ta'un
Pao, 25 Feb 53
The following iafarmation is from a letter published in the "Letters From
Our Readers" column
In a certain village there is a middle-class farmer who is unprogressive
so far as agricultural production is concerned, and who is still very super-
stitious. Recently, at the time of a death in his family, the farmer invited
Taoist priests to perform the funeral ceremonies. He hired txo trumpeters,
purchased pork, ceremonial paper money, and paper houses to be burned for the
dead. ~He invited 22 priests to take part and they feasted in his home for 2
days. Altogether, he wasted 1,070,000 yuan.
If he had used this money for the purchase of fertilizer for his crops he
could have purchased 10,700 cattier of lime which could have been spread on 107
mou of land. This could have increased production by 87 catties of grain per
mou, or a total increase for the 107 mou, sufficient to solve the problem of
food and clothing for 13 people for a xhole year.
Furthermore, the 22 priests wasted 44 man-days of labor. Such waste of
money and of labor is a great hindrance to the movement for increased agricul-
tural production.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110570-5~