SPRING PLANTING AND AGRICULTURAL GOALS OF CHINA FOR 1951

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600400409-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2011
• Sequence Number: 409
• Publication Date: July 24, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL ENTIAL
Ef TiL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENC~0N r~1?I4DL
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
SUBJECT Economic - Agriculture, 1951 goals
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Hankow; Shanghai; Tientsin; New York
DATE
PUBLISHED 11 Mar - 29 May 1951
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF ESPIONAGE ACT SO
U. S. C.. ] 1 AND ]]. Al AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANT MANM.. TO AM UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRO'
NINITED SY LAW. REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
DATE OF
INFORMATION
DATE DIST. .. y Jul 1951
NO. OF PAGES 5
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
SPRING PLANTING AND AGRICULTURAL GOALS OF CHINA FOR 1951
fA- ten-point policy directive for spring planting was issued
by the Central and South China Military and Administrative Com-
mittee to guide the spring planting activites of 1951 and to cor-
rect some situations that have hampered the government program.
An article in the directive specifically forbids the use of coer-
cion by peasant associations or government officials to obtain
loans. To stindilate cotton prodtCtionj the'eichange^rate'for?cotton
and' grain was bet at one catty (one. catty equals -li?1/3,pound)xof
cotton for 8.5 catties of rice. The agricultural production aim
for 1951 is to increase the over-all production by 10 percent above
that of 1950.
The Agriculture and Forestry Conference recently held in Kwangsi
laid plans for the production of 100 million catties of foodstuffs
during 1951, an increase of 3-5 percent over 1950.
Honan plans to increase its total foodstuff production by 15.38
percent in 1951.
The East China Agricultural and Forestry Department has sent
teams to inspect spring planting, study local conditions, and solve
some of the problems in the field.
Fukien Province farmers have over 12 million mou (one mou equals
1/6 acre) under cultivation; V,io third of this area has been planted
in early rice.
The,.heavy rain' south I bf t'he. Yangtae' Rivef. dn&. tDught:'dddddtidvs in
$ i' b and Northeast Cbiaa have adversely affected spring VINAing.
Numbbrffc in parentheses refer to appended sources.]
C0NF10E !T!AI
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CLASSIFICATION
STATE N.VY~ NA NSF DISTRIBUTION
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CONFIDE PAI
CONFIDENTIAL
A. Central and South China
1. Ten-Point Policy Directive for Spring Planting
The following ten-point policy directive for 1951 spring planting
was issued by the Central and South China Military and Administrative Com-
mittee to guide the farmers in planting critical crops and to emphasize
their rights and privileges under the land-reform program. The directive
should be disseminated by various government agencies and people's organ-
izations.
a. Protection of Farmers
Air land acquired through the land-reform program, and property,
grain, or funds received through rent reduction or refund of rent deposits
by the farmers will be protected by the government. The peasant associations
must endeavor to educate the masses to exert all-out efforts in agricultural
production and to avoid any complacency and waste.
b. Reduction of Rent and Canceling of Rent Deposits
In accordance with the law, all farm rent should have been re-
duced or canceled in the old and new liberated areas after 1948 and 1949,
respectively. Rent deposit payments made to the landlords must all be re-
funded. In hardship cases, the refund may be paid gradually. All unpaid
rents including interestp due to the landlords will become void. Th payments
of unpaid rent due rich farmers before the liberation will be governed as
follows: (a) unpaid rent and interest shall be paid in installments if the
accumulated interest is less than the principal; (b) unpaid rent a?.one shall
be paid if the accumulated interest it equal to or slightly ablove the rent;
and (c) no rent or interest shall be paid if the accumulated interest exceeds
twice the unpaid rent.
c. Right of Cultivators Protected
All land whose ownership has not been settled before the spring
planting shall be cultivated and harvested by the original owner. If the
land is allotted to a new owner after the spring planting, the new owner is
entitled to receive rent from the cultivator, the amount to be determined by
negotiation between the parties. In case the cultivator chooses to transfer
the crops to the new owner, the former shall be compensated for the seeds,
fertilizer, human and animal labor, etc., involved in the spring planting.
d. Loan Responsibility and Freedom of Employment
Coercion must not be veed in arranging for grain or monetary
loans. Government officials or peasant associations must not interfere in
the negotiations; loans should be negotiated and agreed upon only by the two
parties concerned. All loans must be repaid. Laborers or farm hands are
free to negotiate and work for any employer. Their wages, working hours, and
conditions shall not be dictated by the authorities, labor unions, or peasant
associations.
e. Free Trade and Flow of Native Products
The recent price drop of native products Fus due to tha American
imperialist blockade, but travel restrictions imposed on the merchants are
partly responsible. Trade in native products is rising daily, with consequent
price rises. It is essential to maintain the free flow of trade and ease of
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restrictions on trade routes and regulation or inspection of travelers =at be
cated plants should not be abandoned or destroyed. The slowing down in the out-
f. Planting of Cottcn, Ifenp, Tobacco, and Tung Oil Trees
Cotton, hemp, .obacco, and tung oil are essential raw materials
for our industry. The various local governments mast encourage the planting
of such crops by cash or grain loans. Fair prices should be paid for those
commodities by trading companies. The barter rate is set at one catty of un-
ginned cotton for 8,5 cetties of rice or A fatt.ien of wheat; one catty of
tobacco leaves for 5.5 rattles of grain. These commodities may be used for
tax payment. The planting of other c=ops, such as tea and sugar cane must
be encouraged. The government should stress mutual assistance among the
farmers in harvesting, transporting, and other work.
Work animals should be protected. It is illegal to slaughter
any healthy oxen. Encouragement should be gi~n to the raising of oxen.
Protection Of ftra:s is and ve. ded areas and planned afforestation
should be encouraged.
The work of cc,:'resatives should be organized and expanded to aid
in achieving the agr?icul!.oral goal.
The aim of the agricultural plan for 1951 is to increase the
over-all production 10 percent above that of 1950. Meticulous cultivation,
increase in the use of labor and fertilizer, improved irrigation, insect con?-
trole and prevention of flood or droaght damage are all factors which help
production. Rewards and honors should be given to farmers who perform out-
standing work. Tax grain should be calculated according to the production
of an average year in that area. The yield above the average in the area
should not be taxed.(1)
The 8-day Agricultural and Forestry Co.uference, held in Kwangai,
adjourned on g4 March 1951 after reviewing the work of 1950 and announcing
the 1951 agricultural plan.
It was announced that the agricultural activities for the province
basically fulfilled the-&iginal plan for 1950. During 1950, over 228,000 mou
of farm lands were rid of crop pests; over 209,000 heaa of livestock were im-
munized; 212 engineering or repair jobs were accomplished on irrigation pro-
jects, benefiting over 367,500 mou of farm land; 352,000 cattiesof selected
paddy rice seeds were distributed, and 2,4C0,000 mou were put under winter
cultivation.
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In the field of forestry, 270 mou of land were devoted to the plant-
ing of tree seeds which will yield over 4 million trees for transplanting
next year; 2,770 mou of land were afforested during the past year. Great
progress was made in setting up agricultural experimental stations and train-
ing cadres.
The 1951 production plan calls for an increase of 100 million catties
of foodstuffs. It is expected that land-reform areas will increase their pro-
duction,. by 3-5 percent over that of last year, while the areas not yet under
the land-reform program are to maintain the same rate of production as last
year. The production of sugar cane and hemp are to be increased; for other
products? last year's levels of production are to be maintained.
The forestry department was asked to give primary concern to the
protection of the existing wooded and forested areas.(2)
The third session of the Agricultural and Forestry Production Confer-
ence of Honan Province adjourned on 4 March 1951. A broad plan of agricultural
production for 1951 was set forth at this conference. Production of foodstuffs
is to be increased 15.38 percent above that of last year and the cotton acreage
15.18 percent. The prospective yield of cotton is estimated at 26.46 catties
per mcu instead of the 1.8 catties per mou produced last year.
In 1951 a minimum of 833,000 mou is scheduled for tobacco cultivation
to produce 104,575,000 catties of tobacco. It is hoped that acreage and pro-
duction will exceed the mi.ni.mum. (2)
On 26 March, to gain a better understanding of the existing conditions
and progress made during spring planting, the two vice-chairmen of the East
China Agricultural -rid Forestry Department, Ho and :K'ang, and 32 others began
an inspection tour of Shantung, Kiangsu, and Anhwei. P:ui-min Hsien in Shan-
tung Province, Nan-?t'ung Hsien in Kiangsu Province, and Fou-yang Hsien in
Anhwei Province are the special areas to be visited by the teams. The group,
divided into three team:, will pay special attention to the organization and
preparation made fox spring planting work. The trip will take approximately
40 days.
The aims of this inspection are, to obtain first-hand information on the
agricultural plans adopted by the various local governments and the ways such
plans are being implemented, the needs and hardships of various classes of
farmers, and the problems and experiences of agricultural production. Three
types of districts are high on the list. They are: (a) high yield areas
whose experiences may b* applied also where; (b) cotton-producing areas where
problems must be solved inmsediately to meet the current quota of this important
crop; and (c) the drought and flood-stricken areas where study will be given
to the difficulties and problems of cultivation under such conditions.(3)
Farmers in Shantung and Kiangsu are in the midst of spring cultivation.
In areas where spring wheat was planted, farmers are already active in hoeing
and adding fertilizer. in northern Kiangsu, many farmers are working in river
improvement projects as well as helping the families of army men who are at the
front. To aid spring planting, the governments in these provinces are organ-
izing cadres' and farmers' meetings to discuss various agricultural problems.
.n Fukier Province over 12 million mou are under cultivation this year.
Two third of this acreage is devoted to early rice crops. Supplementary crops:
of sweet potatoes, peanuts, soybeans, etc., are also being raised.
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In the Ch'u-show Special Administrative District of Chekiang, farmers
started their spring planting half a month ahead of the usual date.(4)
The East China Agricultural and Forestry Depse^~?tmentt and East
People's Broadcasting Network are sponsoring a program
education entitled the "Agricultural Production Forom," with speakers from
the Agricultural and Forestry Department. The April program included such
subjects as: "Planting and Protection of Forests," "Cultivation of Cotton,"
"Agricultural Pests and Their Prevention," and "The Hatching and Raising
of Spring Silkworms." The speakers are top experts in the department. Agri-
cultural organizations and radio stations are urged to monitor and relay the
broadcasts . (3)
C Southwest China
In southern Szechwan, over a million mou have been sowed in early rice.
Kaoliang and corn in that area are 2 inches high. In eastern Szechwan and
Yunnan, many farmers are engaging in irrigation and flood.-control work.(4)
D. Northeast China
In the Northeast, the spring wheat acreage has been increased 22.5 per-
cent above that of last year
The nation-wide spring planting task has been completed. Spring plant-
ing and winter cultivation were greatly affected 'by the heavy rain south of
the Yangtze River and drought conditions in North Ctiina. However, strong
efforts by the people themselves have eased the situation considerably. The
cotton and rice farmers are now busily replanting and cultivating the young
plants.(5)
1. Hankow, C:h'ang-Chiang Jih.pac, 11 Mar 51
2. Hankow, Chiang?-Chiang Jih-pao, 16 Mar 51
3. Shanghai, Hsin-wen Ji'h-pao, 29 Mar 51
4. Shanghai, Hein-von Jih-pao, 31 Mar 51
5. New York, Hua-?ch'iao Jih-?pao, 29 May 51
CONFIDEM. T! t
CONFIDENTIAL
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