KOLKHOZY AND SOVKHOZY IN ESTONIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R006600080037-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 28, 2013
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: May 27, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/03/28 : CIA-RDP80S01540R006600080037-7
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
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USSR (Estonian SSR)
Kolkhozy and Sovkhozy in Estonia
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 27 May 1955
NO. OF PAGES
3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
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SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
1. Private agriculture has ceased in Estonia. Apart from a few institutions
such as agricultural schools, old people's homes, 'and children's,colonies,
411 farms are either kolkhozy or sovkhozy. Most of the land, however, is
under kakhozy.
2 The organization of kdlkhogyin Estonia began after the mass deportation of
farmers and kulaks in 1949. At first, the kolkhozy were small, each
assimilating two or three farms. Now/whole groups of these small kolkhozy
have been fused into larger kolkhoz'; which,as a rule,unite several villages.
3. Each Xolkhoz is managed by a chairman. At first, he was elected by the
workers, but now, especially in large kolkhozy/he is appointed jointly
by the local executive committee in agreement with the Party. He drags a
salary and is not a member of the community
4. The labor force on a kolkhoz usually consists of two or three brigades.
Each brigade is composed of the members of a former village. They are
Ettonians/ Russian immigrants, and Estonians who lived in Russia before
1939. A high proportion are women and older men. Young men tend to seek
technical training and to drift away from farm work. Every effort is
taken to keep them on the kolkhoz. Releases are hard to obtain. Deserters
are brought back by the militia. One way to break away from a kolkhoz is
to volunteer as a miner. A worker may be dismissed by being accused of
being a kulak or a saboteur. In such a case,the decision on dismissal is
taken by the general assembly of the kolkhoz, the same body, which,under
guidance of the chairman, decides what the rates of pay shall be and how
many hours shall be worked.
5 Kolkhozy are not allowed to own tractors or heavy machines. Such equipment
is owned. by machine-tractor stations (MTS ;known in Estonia as MTJ). The
kolkhoz has to pay the MTS in kind for services rendered. The unit of
assessment of MTS work is one hectare of light plough. When labor is
scarce, kolkhozy tend to draw heavily on the MTS. This means that a large
part Of the produce goes to the MTS and that the standard of living on the
kolkhoz remains low.
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The kolkhozy recruit hired labor for potato-picking. These partdetime
workers are paid in kind, ten percent of their pickings. At harvest-time,
University studente-dnd mieldlescbc10I pV101.1ft-ldrafted toLthe7kolkhoZyofor two
weeks. Students are not paid, but are provided with board. A percentage
of town workers are also drafted to work on the kolkhozy for ten days
each year. Others work in the kolkhozy over weekends. These "volunteers"
are not paid by the kolkhozy, but by their employers in town,who are
compelled to pay them their normal salaries.
7. A kolkhoz divides its output in the following manner: (1) It delivers
its norm to the State; (2) it pays the NTS for 'services rendered; (3)
it pays a subscription to the Land Development Stations; (4) it pays
for its seed; and (5) it subscribes to the Fund for Aged and Disabled
Koikhoz Workers. The remainder is divided among the members of the
klIkhoz, in proportion to the number of days worked, usually 80 - 120
per head. The product is divided in kind. The worker is free td sell his
share on the free market. The net yield amounts to one to ten rubles per
day for a ,kolkhoz worker.
8. When the farmer was forced to join a kolkhoz? his land was considered the
prbperty of the State. He had to surrender all farm buildings, agricultural
machinery, and livestock* An inventory of these was made and priced, and
this was credited as his contribution to the collective property. When
he leaves the kolkhoz, he is supposed to receive an equivalent cash refund. NO
one, however, is known to have received a refund. The farmer retained his,
dwelling-house and 0.6 hectare of land for his own use, as well as one_
cow, one calf, and as many pigs, lamhs,and poultry as he could feed. He
was to pay rent to the State for his piece of private land. A worker on
a kolkhoz may rent a horse, providing cart and harness are available, for
ten rubles a day in order to bring his private produce to market. He may
also cut firewood for himself from alder ani 'juniper only.
9. Certain specialist workers, such as horsekeepers and milkingt-hands, manage -
better, because they are credited time and a half for their work and
because they receive premiums, in cash or live calveslfor live-born calves
and milk milked. The workers are also better off at poultry farms, because
no one can check how many eggs a hen lays. Kolkhozy near large towns
have a better market readily accessible.
10. Standard barns for 120 cows are being built at kolkhozy by the MTSs. The
barns will be equipped with an automatic water supply and with mechanical
feeding and manure-disposal equipment. The latter are made at the VOIT
Factory (formerly "Lellep") in Tartu.
11.
Fertilizers are distributed to kolkhozy in accordance with allocations
made by the Ministry of Agriculture in Tallinn. Kolkhozy are required
to pay for the entire allocation whether they can use the fertilizer or
not. The written allocations are issued through the MTSs. Nitrous
fertilizers are issued through the eight oblast offices of the Technical
Section of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture. Korkhozy pay 64.35 rubles
per ton for these fertilizers, market price is 185 rubles. Phosphate
fertilizers are shipped by rail from Tallinn to the kolkhozy. Kolkhozy
often fail to collect consignments of phosphates from the rail yards after
they have been unloaded from the freight cars. As a result, a great deal
of phosphate can be seen wasting away at many railroad stations. Kolkhozy
which grow seed receive considerable amounts of phosphate.
12. Kolkhozy have little independence; everything has to go by plan. Harvesting
has to start on a certain date whatever the-weather, and the ministry carries
Out-inspection-to see that schedules are maintained. Kolkhozy may not
make private purchases exceeding a limit, which is normally 100 - 300 rubles
per year, depending on the size of the kolkhoz.
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13. Cattle breeds on kolkhozy are usually Angler or Friesian, and the usual
breed of horse is Ardennes. Kolkhozy use silos for cattle feblit
silos are not popular because they are built from materials that cane
from Russia. Silos cost as much as 8,000 rubles. A plan originally
was drawn up allotting horses for each kolkhoz. The plan was dropped,
howeverobecause of a shortage of fodder. The older horses were
slaughtered to feed silver-fox farms, and the younger horses for canned
meat for the Tartar republic.
.14. Sovkhozy are state properties, normally established on prewar. state
farms or other large estates. Some grow crops, others breed cattle, and
others breed pigs. They have subsidiary market-gardens and nurseries.
They have to deliver all produce to state shops.
15. Sovkhoz workers are paid regular wages like factory workers. They receive
housing and heating free of charge, and may buy food at state wholesale
prices. This means that they are much better off economically than
kolkhoz workers.
16. There are eight land development stations in Estonia. These are well
supplied with mechanical equipment for removing timber roots, cutting
drains and trenches,and cleaning rivers. The work of the stations is
often ineffectual. Whennew fields are cleared, the roots and stones
removed are dumped on good farm land which is thus rendered useless.
17. There are also two forestry stations in Estonia. These stations are
responsible for the inspection and cleaning Of the forests.
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