FOOD CANNING AND THE COTTON CROP IN RUMANIA DURING AUGUST 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160394-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2011
• Sequence Number: 394
• Publication Date: March 8, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CCIJFZD;ihi'L1L
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY kwnania DATE OF
SUBJECT Economic INFORMATION 1y13
- Agriculture, food, cotton izarvest
HOW
PUBLISHED 5emiweer1y, daily newsparers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Bucharest, Vienna
DATE
PUBLISHED 1 pug_?~ Oct 1953
LANGUAGE kumanian, Gerrtsn
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SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
FOOD CANNING AND THi/ COCCOIi CkOP Ii. !?U>L"u`IIe~ DtR2IiyG dUGUST 1953
~on~:ent: The following re~orC ,us compiled frc:a tize Bucha-
rest nc.apapers Horrsnia Libera, Viata Capitalei, and Scunteia of
August 1953 and the Vienna semi~ee}?.1y ne,rspaper Interreuort-Ost
of October 1953?
Bucharest newspapers published numerous articles on increased
food production and better crops during 1953? ldoreover, the state
promised to make available greater amounts of food to ecc~cnaute
fer the food shortage oi' the .rir.ter and s:;ring of 1;53. 'Cue ven-
tral Co:cmittee of the Rumania,. :Yor.:~rs i=az?ty announceu iu , ugust
that the state .vas prepared to give extensive sup,~rt to the Runn?
rdan food inlusbry to lmprc:ve the standard u." livind? 'T'his deci-
sion appears to have been proaspted by increasir>t; dissatisfaction
of the people .:ith rationing. Ir: su_i;ort of this proc.isc, Bucha-
rest n~+spapers listed outstundity; results rzchicved so i'ar In aany
old and new canning and food factories.
The 1y53 cotton crop a,,pears to tc very dis::pp! ir,tir:;;, ucc:n?d_
ittg to the Vienna Interreport-Ost of ? OCtOUC:r' 1y7~. .'?'.o..ev;;r Bucha-
rest nc,;si;~lers report that cultivation is ;,^ schedule :rid tu~C tt,.
crop T.vmi.sed to be a Lroo1 one. Hiner pz?ices and :zdditi^n~] crnces-
siocs ~.;cre oii'cred Co cotton ~ro+ers for uuantit!.es nr,d ..utiity above
quotas.
Nwnbers in po.rentneses r::'^r to api;ended suurces.
STAT,
STAT.
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FOOD APIs C4NNIN~
~ccording to the Vienna Interreport-Ost, the Council of the City of Bucha-
rest announced that rations of sugar, edible oils, flour pastes, and so.ao for
the fourth quarter of 1953 will be the same as those for the previous yuar~er.
This announcement, the paper stated, caused great disappointment wrong the pope=
lation of Bucharest, because in September the City Peeple's Council pron;ised a
1G-20 percent ration increase for the last quarter of 1953. Noisy protests
were trade in enterprises, and the question was ru!sed in party and government
circles as to when the promised improvements in living staudards would be put
into effect. To appease the resentment, Interreport-Ost said, the city council
announced tha additional rations of sugar and oil might be granted. The press,
at the same time, complained of the poor produc*.ion of ui.l mills and the delay
1n harvesting sugar beets, the paper stated.(1Zi
Tha Cent??sl Committee of the itu:n~nian Workers Party announced in the plenary
session of 1;-20 August 1953 that the government planned to invest close to l.ti
billion lei in the Puntnnian foci industry in lyj3-19 j5 (2), instead of the y;;-0
million lei originally planned.(;;) P:?odu~t'^^ ^` ^^~. fish, adiule oils, and
sugar will increase 4o-i~C ::'.recut in ]q5L over 1953, according to .this pion. The
plan a]so provided for expansion. of the i,roduc*.ion capacity of industrial food
enterprises. Varieties of foods .rill also be increased and i:::proved.(2)
The t4lnistry of Food Industry of the Rumanian Peo_ie':. Republic has de-
voted spacial interest to the cool ca::r.ittg irrlustry, which has expanded consider-
ubly in the last few yawns. production of ca:med vegetables was increased by
lia7 percent, ruarucxlades by li+V p:_rcent, and canned foods in general by 9O per-
cent Ln 1952 as cutnpared with !y, h: tl;e period ly4)-1j52 four new canneries
ware constructed, includirtq the `'alca-ltusie csnnery, Bucharust Regiune, and the
Zac;na cannery, Galati Reglure. :trt lditional canning factory was scheduled to
start operation during 1953. These new factories, as well as improvements in
old ones as a result of sizable ir;vestments, contributed to a greatly increased
production.
Enterprises under the Surisdiction of the Ministry of Food Industry, ho.r-
ever, hsve not kept pace with the increasing needs of the poi;uiation. Some of
these enterprises shoved a luck of organization, ?which hampered the smooth flo::
of production. For example, tha canneries frequently could not deliver on titre
due to lack of labels and pac}at~tr s;rt;,ria.i:.. Scott shcrtcea.ity3s can and should
he eiitninated. It is also in;pot?tant +;u devolup greater varieties and produce
greater quantities of compotes and j~''~s. hsny cartned vegetaules and jams are
of poax? quality. This, too, must be improved. Special attention to qunl,ity
is more i:npertant th;n ever, in view of the i.ncicase in iavestmt?nts. People
must also oe guided and urged to prepare cauned vegetables and canned fruit at
home. People's councils must sra t.u it that containers, celloplxane, corks,
and parchnent are made available to Lhe popul.,tion i'or this purpose.(j)
Increasing consumer damands, both for quality and quantity, has been a
constant preoccupation for the large caaneries of hunur,ia, such as Flora, Gri-
vita, and Vslea-Rosie. The canneries re~irted that .I:.uor :post ue ox?~lnized
and recotnmendatiors fur labUP-E2Vi!]g devices _ncoux?aged. At. the lluftea cannery,
for example, two tacks were constructed r ~:arbcilin6 fruit pul;~ for :nat?tna.lades.
The m:umalade was preset-~~ed with sulfur dioxidm:. 'ibis ell;ninate~i bottlenecks
in production and increased the processit>L capacity. Special ten:ns +:c re organized
nt the Flora cannery to select and check_'rui.t at:d vegetables as they arrived ~n
the warehouses. lJorkers Dltmitru Ungureanu and Ic.^. Oprea of this cannery devised
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s new type of ,Jar with a tin lid 18 millimeters thinner than the old type, thus
conserving tin. This innovation has been introduced is the vegetable, fruit,
meat, fish, and dairy departments. p narrow-gauge track was set up in the
sterilization hall for the transportation of baskets carrying ,Jars and cans to
the warehouse, in order to facilitate work and increase productivity.
In line with the labor-saving policy, the hand-operated elevator se'rvic- ~
ing the sterilization secti
.
on of the Grivita cannery was remodeled into an
e]ectrically operated elevato
~
r to make :cork easier
,A
ductivit
This i
b
.
y
ncreased labor pro-
y 15 percent. rt the same cannery, mechanic Constantin Olatici
built n greasing device for th
e automatic greasin.; of bolts at sealing machines
I1
This improvement eliminates Snt
.
erruptions and increases the output of the ma-
chine by 8 percent.' Furthermo
re, an automatic Jar-filling machine for brine
was put in operation and a new d
epartment ass opened for cooking vegetables in
oil. The lnr-;e-scale applicati
on of the Voroshin method increased production
at the Crivita cannery by 114
7
.
percent in July. Labor productivity increased
9 Percent in the vegetable de
art
p
ment, and the quality of products
P`PPers stuffed with rice
such as
okr
i
,
,
a
ably over 1952.(4)
n oil, sad vegetable stew, improved consider-
The Grivita canning factory exceeded its production plan by 15,000 kilo-
grams of canned vegetables for the month of July. Large quantities of fruit
compote and marmalades were also turned out in excess of quotas. Workers
collectives save special care to quality. Good organization of labor enabled
thF factory to produce 34 percent in excess of quotas. Some workers exceeded
dai]y nouns by 30-50 percent. Throurgh the combined effort of all workers the
plant was working on its 15 September nuotns by 7 pugust.,(5) This cannery
also produced dozens of varieties of canned vegetables, 'nms, and syrups dur-
ing the stumaer of 1953? In August it started the production of strawberry
syrup. The strawberry, apricot, and prune ,Jams are of excellent quality.
The cannery produced 80 varieties of canned vegetables in 1953?(2)
The Vales-Rosie cannery is putting out n ;renter variety, including to-
mato ,Juice rich in vitamins, pnsteurize3 at 70-80 dagrees centigrade.
The Filaret cannery experimented with n Soviet method for the preparation
of acidulated fruit Juices. These Juices are now produced in several large
wineries.
however, there is still place for improvements both in varieties and in
output. The Flora, Grivita, Fructonil, and Buftea ennneries have greater pro-
duction capacities which should be exploited In full.(4)
The Buftea, Flora, Grivita, Va1en-Rosie, and many other canning factories
in Bucharest City and in Bucharest Regiune are now processing and packing
larger quantities of vegetables and fruit. They have increased their produc-
tion capacity 14-33 percent. Some of *.hese factories have set up new depart-
ments and new machinery. :1t the Vales-Rosie cannery s new section f'or wash-
ing fruit and vegetables was opened in the second quarter of 1953? This de-
partment processed 60 tons of canned pens and string beans of good quality
up to the beginning of August. The Buftea, Fructonil, Grivita, and Vnlen-
Rosie factories produced 457,000 cans and }ars of vegetables in excess of
quotas.
The General Directorate of Canneries in tiie t?finistry of Food Industry
and the Eucharest Reguine Union of Consumers Cooperativas must see to it that
are dutyeboundnto useaallimachinescandsfacilitiee.toemaximamrrcapacityorlD?y
and night shifts should be employed at machines which can process sevarnl types
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oY vegetables, to avoid rushing at the end of each plan period. State farms
must also be reminded to live up to their commitments and to deliver vegetables`
to canneries on time. The quality of the finished product should be the mayor
preoccupation of workers in canneries. Every vegetable and fruit should be
processed carefully. A recurrence of errors such as were made at the Buftea
factory in 1952 must be avoided, for at that time the fruit preserves of the
cannery were of very poor quality. State organizations should exercise a con-
stant supervision over the quality of products.
Housewives of ell regiunes must be guided and instructed to prepare suf-
ficient quantities of canned vegetables and fruit. The eight raion coopera-
tives of Bucharest City, Bucharest Reguine, which operate a semimechanized
vegetable and fruit preserve center, must also contribute by preparing large
quantities of tomato paste, dried fruit, etc. Vegetables or fruit that are
not readily sold should be immediately processed for canning to prevent losses.
Raion and commune people's councils and primary party organizations must in-
form collectives, TOZ (agricultural cooperatives), and individual peasants of
the importance of preserving vegetables and fruit, and not allow even the small-
est amounts to be wasted.(6)
The Argus Oil Mill of Constants, Constants Regiune, completed 64.84 per_
cent of the monthly production plan in the first days of August. The Black
Sea Floating Fish Cannery on the ship Octcmbrie-Rosa and the Mares Fish Can-
nery of Constants have increased production and improved the quality of their
products.(7)
Work progressed well at the Burdu,Jeni marmalade factory, Suceava Regiune.
The factory made dams, marmalades, syrups, and other products. In the first
10 days of August production was stepped up considerably and three carloads
of products were delivered in excess of plan.(8)
The improved living standard in Cralova Regiune resulted in large volume
sales of consumer goods. Sales of food products were 23,654,000 lei higher
in the first quarter of 1953 than in the same period of 1952? These sales in-
cluded bread and pastry products which amounted to 6,379,000 lei. The value
of cotton products sold in the first quarter of 1953 exceeded the volume of
the first quarter of 1952 by 23,370,000 lei. Sales of wool cloth were 103
percent higher, of silk fabrics 85 percent higher, and of footwea:? 67 percent
higher in the first quarter of 1953 than in the same period of 1952. Factory
workers and peasants of Crsiova Regiune bought 13,982,000 lei worth more cloth-
ing and knitwear during 1 January to 1 July 1953 then during the same period
of 1952.(2)
The Dunarea Fruit and Vegetable Cannery cf Tulcea, Galati Regiune, xas
constructed in 1950? By the end of qugust 1953, it had increased its initial
production several times. The cannery is equipped with Soviet machinery and
is producing 70 varieties of foodstuffs, lncludir.~ dehydrated vegetables and
vegetables canned in oil. Labor productivity increased 30 percent per laborer
during July, and production costs xere cut ?_ percent below the plan. Labor
teams exceeded production by 16-105 Fercent during July.(7)
The same good results were also evident at the Ghecet Fishery of the Ga-
lati State Fisheries. The fishermen delivered 1,500 kilograms of fish in ex-
cess of quotas during July.(9)
A new modern bread bakery started operation ir, the city of Iasi, Iasi
Regiune, at the beginning of August. The factory, completely mechanized,
has a high-capacity kneader and equipment to carry the dough to the molding
department and then to five automatic ovens. The factory supplies 24 distri-
bution centers. New bread bakeries wiih four wens each started operation
in Vaslui and Husi.(10)
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Socialist competition is in full swing at the Intreprinderea Alimentara
Dunareana (Danube Food Enterprise) of Galati, Galati Regiune. The collective
working on flour paste in the bakery division exceeded the plan by 94.6 per-
cent, and the biscuit and cracker division far exceeded its plan from 1-24 July
1953. Workers in the packing department packed 1,562 cases more in July than
in June.(9)
The Munca Biscuit Factory of Constants, Constants Regiune, produced 4.5
percent more biscuits in July than required by quota~.(7)
The Pestisani fruit preserve center, Pestisani Commune, Craiova Regiune,
received 16,374 kilograms of fruit, including 8,783 kilograms of apples, by
the end of August. Large quantities of fruit, including some 10,000 kilograms
of raspberries and blackberries, were sent to other centers. The Pestisani
Commune Cooperative headed the purchasing campaign, fulfilling its August quota
in the first 10 days of the month.(11)
A new canning factory was constructed in Raureni, Pltesti Regiune, next
to the already existing marmalade factory. The new factory will produce mainly
fruit and vegetable ,juices. The new building covers an area of 15 hectares.
The factory Was scheduled to start operation during the fourth quarter of 1953?
More than 90 percent of its machines were imported from the Soviet Union. The
production capacity of the new cannery ?aill be 3.5 times larger than that of
the old cannery and labor productivity will increase 180 percent.(12)
Cooperatives in Targu-Jiu Raion, Craiova Regiune, carried on a sustained
drive to buy all the fruit available it; the raicn. The fruit was then sent
to the preserving centers in Pestisani, Runcu, 'i",u-cinesti, and Dsnesti com-
munes. These centers have equipment for preserving fruit for uinter.(11)
A new bread bakery was scheduled to start operation in Turda, Club Re-
giune, in the fall of 1953? The bakery will be equipped with machines of high
productivity. It will have special equipment to make small white loaves of
bread, rolls, French bread, and milk rolls.(13)
The Unirea Candy Factory of Constants, Constantn Regiune, exceeded its
production plan by 13 percent in .July. In August, it started production of
its September quotas.(7)
COTTON CROF
~he Vienna Interreport-Ost ;tnted that according to Bucharest newspapers,
the 1953 cotton crop was Very isappointtng. The crop was expected to be 15
percent above that of 1952, but was a:.tuaily below the average crop of 1951-1952
and caused real concern to Rumanian importers.. Antic!pating an increase in cot-
ton production in 1953, the government reduced cotton imports to a minimum and
is now faced with great shortages. The Vienna paper reported that this proved
very embarrassing for the Rumanian government, at, a time when propaganda prais-
ing improved living conditions all over the country was intended to appease the
people.
Interreport-Ost claimed that insufficient manpo?.+er, the general neglect
of cotton planting, and a delayed harvest were the main causes for the poor
yield. It further reported that the newspaper Scanteia ha3 stated that the
entire harvest should have been completed by 18 August 1953? According to
the Vienna source, this was not the case. The large new state funs in
Bucharest, Constantn, Craiovs, and Galati rediunes completely neglected the
campaign schedule. The executive committees of the people's councils xere
severely criticized because they did not mobilize the necessary manpower for
the cotton harvest. The best results were obtained 5y the Piatra State Farm
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near Bucharest, where work was performed with the a13 of seven combines. The
paper said that the harvest results at this farm demonstrate how much the 1953
cotton harvest has fallen behind other years. Only two thirds of the crop
xas gathered at this farm by 20 September. The yield was 180 tons of cotton.
From a statistical table of the Ministry of Agriculture, issued in December
1952, it is evident, Interreport-Ost stated, that the Piatra State Firm had
harvested 310 tons of cotton in 1952? According to plan, the Pietra State
Farm was expected to have a yield of 90G kilograms per hectare. The Vienna
source reported that figures released by the Ministry of Agriculture, however,
indicate that the 1953 results were only 780 kilograms per hectare. Conse-
quently, Rumanian importers trie3 to buy cot`.on abroad. Interreport-Ost
concluded that it is interesting to rote that Rumanian efforts to
part of the Soviet cotton surplus offered on the international marYpleutshevi-
dently failed, because Rumanian purchasin negotiations acre directed to most
of the non-Soviet markets since the beginr.ina of October 1953?(1~,~
Engineer Rristu Gheorghe, Director of the General Directorate of Cotton
in the Ministry of State Farms emphasized the need for increased cotton plant-
in~ and increased cotton yields. Iie also discussed improved picking methods.
The picking of cotton is done by teams of 10-12 people with n norm of 8-12
kilograms of cotton per day per worker, ,just after the plants begin to open.
The norms increase to 15-^5 kilograms per Say, when the plants have completely
op?ned. State farms and ccl.'_ectives have easily exceeded these norms by proper
organization of manpower. Rumsntan cotton pickers applied Stakhanovite methods
in 1952 and increased their 3aily norms. A ;roman picker at the Olaa Eanciuc
State Frrm, for example, picked ]50 kilcgrams of cotton per day. Another worker
picked 114 kilograms per day. .1t the Rosati S*.ate Farm, Calarasi Rains, workers
picked 1.40-150 kilograms per day.
To speed up and improve picking, transportation teams must also be organ-
ized to carry the cotton from the fields to the platforms. The state grants
many concessions to cotton growers, especially to collectives and TOZ, to en-
courage greater planting. The state has established prices for cotton accord-
ing to quality, and even larger wins are assured to those who exceed quotas.
For example, nn individual. cotton grower who obtains 548 kilograms per hectare
can earn 1,531 J.ei. In addition, he is permitted to purchase 27!a kilo,grnms
of corn and fit meters of fabrics frog the state stores nt the official price.
If production norms are exceeded by 50 percent, or prro3uction of 822 kilograms
of cotton per hectare, he will receive ;,753 ieL and may buy 411 kilograms of
corn and 122 meters of yardgoo3s. Ccilectives and TOZ er.,Joy even greater ad-
vantages. The Coconi Collective, Oltentta Rains, for exarnple, received
5,139,252 lei (old currency), tncl.uding 1,57?,920 lei for excess production,
for, cotton grown in ].951.(14)
~~'!. '"
Bucharest Regiune
The Vitnnesti State Farm devoted special attention *,o cotton crowing.
Four brigades of workers started the harvest cn time and the results appeared
to be good. The brigade of Gheorghc Bla,j oia;c^d several hu::3:^R }; 17o?rams of
cotton in 3 days. Other brigades also L?arvested lac*e aunntiti~s daily. The
cotton was immediately delivered to thr ;innin^ c~uters.(15)
The cotton crop in Brnnceni Commune ?-~s rich any? riper for pie?;im ty
30 August. Individual peasants of the =omanune star`.ed picY,ing an3 harvested
more than 700 kilograms of cotton in one day. The socond day, ;~ ]arrer num-
ber of peasants helped with the harvest an3 a much lerg~r auantlty was
picked.(16)
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Many state farms in Bucharest Regiune applied technical methais to in-
crease the production of cotton per hectare. Some state farms applied the
artificial pollination metho3 in 1953 for the first time. The Roseti State
Farm, Calarasi Raion, devoted special attention to cotton growing. This farm
has the largest cotton plantation in Bucharest Regiune. State f:sm xorkers
performed five cultivations up to the middle of August an3 applied artificial
pollination on 8,000 square meters of plants. This state farce devoted special
attention to the irrigation of cotton fields. Pttmps an3 pipes were prepared
on time for the irrigation of more than ].,OOC hectares of torten plants. Con-
sesuent]y, each cotton plant carried 10-12 blooms an3 the bolls ?; ere well
fcrn;ed. Cotton cultivation and tappin,e xes performed 'oy 3;'1 individual compe-
titive teams anti 12 brigade teams.(17)
Members of the Casile Roaita Co:lectiv.;, Draaam~s:~.i Scion, completed the
fourth cotton cultivation an3 artificial. poilinnticn by 18 Au3ust.(1?)
Collectivists and individual peasants cf Draganesti Raion continued to
tslre rood care of their cotton plant a*. ions. By 16 August, the fourth culti-
vation and 25 pera~nt cf the fifti cultivation were completed. Tapping xas
compl^.ted in 5G percent of total area.(19)
Tha 6 Martie Collective, S'nicaaesti `.'cmmun_, compl_ted xeedinz