AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY IN THE LUTSK AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007000550006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: CABLE

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I$VEW E AGEWY REPORT
CD NO.
COUNTRY USSR $ 8SR )
SUBJECT Agriculture and Food Supply in the
Lutsk Area
PLACE
ACQ RED
DATE OF
INFO.
DATE DISTR. 27 June 1955
NO. OF PAGES 5
NO. OF ENCLS.
(USTED BELorn
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
is being forwarded as received.
CLASSIFICATION C-0-N-F-I-D-B-N-T-I-A-L
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CtASSIFICATIONCO IAb
USSR
COUNTRY
TOPIC:
REPORT
Agriculture and Food-au>g1n of thhe_Population in the T.ntMk erAA-
EVALUATIONAI
DATE OF CONTEN
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
PAGES 4 ENCLOSURES (NO. & nP),
REMARKS
L.DATE PREPARED,
This is UNEVALUATED Information
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1. Some of the villages on the Lutsk area (50 45'N/24019'E) are old German
or Czech colonist settlements. Until 1941 the private farms located in
Polish territory prior to 1939 remained unaltered under the Soviet
regime. In connection with the enforced resettlements after the war,
the Polish population was replaced by Ukranians from the former Polish
State territory (continued until 1948/1949) who subsequently operated
the Polish farms. Collectivism started in 1948 and in early 1954 only
a very few privately-owned farms were left over. Although, on the
whole the kolkhoee system as an enforced organization was tolerated by
the rural population, the ardent wish for the individual handling of
the farms still existed. The rumor after the war, according to which
Marshal Zhukov had advocated, although in vain the reintroduction of
private farming, was characteristic of the situation. Since only a
very few new buildings were erected in connection with the collective
measures, the old farm buildings were still in use.
2. In the spring of 1954, the merger of two or three kolkhoses to form one
super-kolkhose, and, which after Stalin's death, had set in also in
the Lutsk area, was not yet completed. These measures resulted in a
considerable confusion of labor employment and, as a result of the
resettling operations, caused great anger among the population. Even
the promise of better conditions of life in the super-kolkhoses by es
establishing ambulance stations, kindergartens and similar institutions,
could not remove this ill humor. Nor were the promises of the New Course
successful of could the appeal for greater initiative on the privately-
-owned farms achieve any success, as the farmers were afraid of the
imposition of increased quotas.
3. Part of the region on the Styr River in Wolhynia is swampy and clayey.
Being very rich, the 'soil there is particularly suited for the
cultivation of wheat. In the past few years the cultivation of sugar
beets has considerably expanded in the Lutak region. Live stock was
rather poor. The kolkhoses themselves had only very small herds of
cattle and it was strictly forbidden to slaughter young cattle. During
the winter the fodder donditiono was extremely bad in certain areas.
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5.
All agricultural labor on the kolkhoses was carried out by the
mechanical tractor stations (iTS), which, however, did not do well
because they chiefly were bent on fulfibling the. prescribed quota.
Frictions were unavoidable as in such asses the kolkhoses refused
to pay the laborers the prearranged wages. As a result of continuous
day-and-night work, the machines and tractors of the were overstressed
and, as replacem4nt parts frequently were unavailable, general overhaul
of the machines was possible only in winters. As a result, the machines
frequently failed.
The labor efficiency at kolkhosniki were laid down as daily output
(trudodyen) which, however, exceeded an actual daily output, and the
result was that the average kolkhosnik reached a yearly average of
80 to 100 dayworks, while a specialist, e.g. a blacksmith was credited
150 day works. The cash wages per day work were 2.80 rubles, while the
additional grain allowance, differed between 400 and 800 grams for the
various kolkhoses. The amount of the grain allowance which depended on
the fulfilment of the quota fixed by the state and the payment in kind
to the MTS, by no means met the demand of bread so that the kolkhosniki
frequently bought their bread in town after early February, provided that
they had enough ready money. Many Kotkhoses could only avoid starvation
by stealing grain. In addition, they collected herbs to make soups during
the period they were short of bread. The crop from the small plot
belonging to the privately-owned farm was left to the kolkhosnik even
if he did not fulfill the quota and was 1 only means of subsistance.
6. There was a most serious shortage of laborers at the kokkhoses, and
foolish operationj low working morale and discipline worsened the
situation. Many a farmer migrated to the town because of low wages at
the kolkhoses. Promises to encourage and spur the kolkhosniki, made
by the agents of the central committees in Lutsk, remained unsuccessful.
Poor results also were realized by tentatively employing town workers
from affiliated plants or affiliated administration during the peak
periods mostly on Sundays, as the drafted men only reluctantly performed
this additional and unpaid Sunday work. The kolkhoses were completely
unable to organize this sudden affluence of laborers.
The privately-owned plot surface allotted to one laborer/ was 0.25
hektar for two laborers 0.40 hektar and keeping one cow and two hogs also was
grated (one hektar - 2.47 aores). Potatoes were almost exclusively
cultivated year in, year out and, as no change of fruit was provided and
no fertilizers or appropriate seed corn were supplied, the annual crops
dropped considerably in the course of time. Since no pastures, but only way
balks were available and, in addition, goat milk was not deliverable, the
kolkhosniki preferred keeping a goat in lieu of a cow, and since food
for the hogs generally was insufficient in quantity, they preferred keeping
rabbits instead of the the second pig. The official annual tax for 0.40
hektar was 600 rubles cash down and 16 kilograms of meatio be paid for,
400 eggs at the price of 180 rubles, and 120 liters of milk per cow. For
the products in excess of the deliverable state quota the prices the kolkhosnik
obtained in the free marked averaged 45 rubles per center of potatoes sold
in fall, 15.0 rubles for the same weight of potatoes sold in spring; 4.80
rubles for 10 summer eggs*, up.to 18 rubles for 10 winter eggs, 16 rubles
for one kilogram of butter in summer, and 40 rubber in winter,up to 40 rubles
for summer bacon and up to 20 to 22 rubles for 1 kilogram of bacon in winter,
22 rubles for 1 kilogram of meat in summer and 18 rubles in winter; between
14 and 16 rubles for one kilogram of mutton, 9 or 15 rubles for a rabbit
fur plus 3 pounds of flour.
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8. The increasing migration from the country to the town observed
throughout the entire period of reference was caused by better
living conditions and higher wages in town, quite apart from the
enticing offers of wages on the part of the industry. The agricultural
worker could give notice and had to be discharged if he provided a
substitute, The kolkhose was entitled to refuse a discharge applied for; m
on the other hand, it was possible'to give notice twice or three times
when a labor court decided on?the case. On being discharged from the
9.
armed forces, veterans could freely choose their place of work, that
is, change from previous farming work to another occupation. Moscow,
Leningrad and Kiev were subject to special immigration rules. In future,
farmers, tractor operators, combine drivers, blacksmiths, and similar
state-licensed specialists had to remain with the farming occupation.
In future medical doctors and technicians hailing from farming districts
will have to exercise their profession in the country for a certain number
of years after finishing their professional training.
Since the appeal for volunteering for the new-land action met with only
little favor compulsory drafts were effected in the kolkhoses and
trading enterprises after definite quotas had been imposed. Volunteers
had to be released by the kolkhoses.t More than half of the trainees of
the tractor drivers courses finished in Lutsk in early 1954, were
assigned to the new land districts.
10. Bread supply in1the town of Lutsk has been sufficient since the spring of
1953; prior to that time there were always queues waiting at the shops.
In 1952, the bread supply was worse than in 1951. In 1954, the price for
I kilogram of gray bread was 1,4 to 2 rubles. Fine white flour was issued
only before the big hglidays in lots of 3 kilograms. As to potatoes the
principle of self-containment of the population was adopted in early 1954
in the Lutsk district, the firms and administrations allocating lots of
0.03 to 0.04 hektars to their workers and employees. In summer, the supply
of meat was poor as cattle were slaughtered only in winter. Better supply
of butter was then a compensation.
11. The supply situation in the USSR is not uniform. Industrial centers and
large towns are better supplied than small places and the country. As the
supply of commodities was rather good in Lusk, the inhabitants of villages
and the rural towns used to go shopping there. Formerly several
preferential shops were avii]able for party bosses, members of the district
administration and the families of officers. With the exception of one
large shop, these shops have meanwhile been liquidated. Although on the
whole, the supply situation had improved in the past few years, it still
left much to be desired in the.country.
12. The following is a list of the monthly earnings of the working population
in the spring of 1954;
Charwoman
Watchman
Woman hospital ward
Sick nurse
Sick nurse of three
years training
Medical assistant,
midwife
240 rubles
280 to 320 rebels
310 rubles
355 rubles
375 rubles
450 to 470 rubles
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Medical doctor
(immediately after graduation)
(after 3 years)
(after 6 years)
(after 10. yeas)
technician
engineer
worker
Bus conductor
Railroad conductor
Chief guard
Station attendant
Line worker
Station master
Cashier
Bookkeeper (on leaving
ft (after some
Chief bookkeeper
Construction
Construction
Construction
Storekeeper
Locksmith
450 rubles
600
700
1200
800
1200 - 1800
350 - 500
580
400 - 450
350 - 400
600
700 "
450 "
350-400 -~
700
500 "
450 "
700 "
900 .. 1000 "
describes the situation within a
been fully adapted to the development
years ago*
were believed to be true of the whole
1. The merger ci large kolkhoses entailed considerable drawbacks, in
particular as to the organization of work.
school)
years)
Comment. / The present report
relatively restricted area which has
of the Soviet agriculture only a few
The following facts, which up to now
of the USSR, have been confirmed:
2. Shortage of forage hampered the development of live stock.
During the peak seasons there was a shortage of labor, agricultural
specialists lacking in the first place.
Bad food situation of the rural population during the last months
of the harvest year.
Excessive strain of the mechanical equipment.
6. Migration from the country to the towns because of the better living
conditions there; however, new energetic measures to keep the
specialists in the country were made by the "New Course".
Compulsory drafting of labor force for the New Country in the east.
/ / 8. Tolerable food conditions in town.
The report further contains some other facts which, however, cannot be
generalized:
1. General shortage of agricultural labor.
2. Rather poor results of the promises made in connection with the
"New Course".
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