RETAIL TRADE IN THE USSR: CRITICISM OF SOVIET TRADE ORGANIZATIONS, SEPTEMBER 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180406-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 6, 2011
• Sequence Number: 406
• Publication Date: June 1, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CORFIDFHTI; I,
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY USSR
DATE CF
SUBJECT Economic - Domestic trade INrJRMATION
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED USSR
DATE
PUBLISHED 1-30 Sep 1953
LANGUAGE
DATE DIST. / cTuNE 1954
NO. OF PAGES 16
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
RETAIL TRADE IN THE USSR; CRITICISM OF
SOVIET TRADE ORGANIZATIONS. FEPItTBER 1953
[The following report represent; a compilation of articles deal-
ing with retail trade in consumer goods in the USSR from the Soviet
press in September 1953.
Numbers in parentheses refer to appended sources.]
According to Izvestiya of 9 September 1953, the USSR had, aprroximately
8,500 kolkhoz markets located in most cities and rayons, in most of the work-
ers' settlements, and at many railroad stations.
The paper urged all market administrr.t.ion:; to conclude agreements with
kolkhozes for the sale of surplus potatoes, veg-tables, and other products.
In the first half of 1953, Moscow markets entered irto approximately 2,000
such agreements.(1)
A September 1953 article in Trud stated that the I;ain Administrations of
Workers' Supply of the industrial ministries have improved their operations
considerably. Commodity turnover and the trade network were continually ex-
panding. For example, within the Main Administration of Workers' Supply of
the Ministry of Petroleum Industry, the level of commodity turnover in the
first half of 1953 almost doubled the average monthly turnover of 1950. By
1 July 1953, the network of retail trade and public eating enterprises of the
administration had reached 4,758 units, as compared to 2,941 on 1 January
1950. Well equipped stores have been opened in Nebit-Dag, Krasnodar, Baku)
and a number of rayons of Tatarskaya and Bashkirskaya oblasts.
DISTRIBUTION
I I
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However, the paper cuntir,ued, the number of row units rut into operation
still lags behind the plan. By the end of 1953, 216 new units were scheduled
to be leased by the administration, including 110 stores, 47 dining rooms,
vegetable storehouses, and cold-storage places. However, by September 1953,
only 90 of the 246 units were ready to be put into operation.
The paper also complained that in some stores and dining rooms many mal-
practices, such as embezzlement of goods, short measuring, and short weighing,
were still in existence.(2)
According to another Izvestiva article, in addition to the 312 billion rubles' worth originally allocat d, wh of oobes,
put on sale in the USSR in April-December 1953 oated were to be
The newspaper also stated that there has 'r,cen a sharp increase ir; the
quantities of Limber, cement, iron, nails, slate, roofing tile, motor gasoline
and other petroleum products, and coal available far sale. Sales of automo-
biles, motorcycles, bicy-ales, diesel motors, loromobiles, electric motors,
radio receivers, and sewing machines also increased.
In September 1953, consumers cooperatives in the USSR included over
259,000 trading enterprises. In 1954, capital investment in the construction
of stores and shops was expected to increase more than threefold over 1953,
while expenditures for the construction of bases an.d warehouses were to be
almost doubin.d
The article stated that many rayons and rural areas lacked enough stores.
In ShklovskiY Ite, nn of Mogilevska.,a Oblast, for example, there were 90 trading
enterprises before the war; in September 1953, there Gere onl:' 70. The
organization of cooperative trade was also very poor, the article continued.
andmtradingehoursgwere notiadhered goods o Trade the sstwas ill nfailed provided for,
analyze
consumer demands; there were surplus deliveries of goods in some rayons and
insufficient deliveries in others.(3)
Moscow
According '.o Mo;eovska.;a Pravda of September 1953, more and more consumer
goods were appe;,;y ` in Moscow stores. Silk and cotton fabrics of various
shades, textile and Leather footwear of many st::lea, top-quality ready_to-wear
clothing, and man,; other products were being ;R'ods-ed by industry in an ever
increasing volum?,.
The article u!so sealed that in the second nuarter 1953, as compared with
the same Period in 1952, sales of woolen fabrics increased 13.2 percent, silk
fabrics, 21 percent, sewn goods, 43.7 percent, and leather footwear,
cent.(4) 13.3 per-
In another September, 1953 article, Moskovskaya Pravda reported that there
were 30 kolkhoz markets in Moscow, which could accommodate 15,000 people at
one time, as compared with 7,700 people in 1940. The markets were equipped
with approximately 13,100 scales (compared with 3,000 in 1940) and employed
over 1,400 persons. The division for the organization of kolkhoz trade in the
Moscow Market Administration had concluded 1,971 agreements for the delivery,
of 152,000 tons of various products; 1,471 of these agreements were with
kolkhozes of Moskovskaya Oblast and 500 with kolkhozes of other oblasts.
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C0Nr?IDExTL;1.
According to the same article, 218 milk-collecting points and 14
for the collection of 9 points
potatoes and v
t
ege
ables have been established in the
rayons of Moskoveka
ya Oblast. In the first half of 1953, the milk-collecting
points delivered 3,627 tons of milk to Moscow, while the produce-collecting
points delivered 6,530 tons of various produce. The delivery of a varied
assortment of agricultural products to kolkhoz markets was continually in-
creasing. In 1952, 381,250 tons were delivered, as compared with 148,745
tons in 1940. According to the plan for 1953, over 400,000 tons of various
agricultural products were to be delivered to the markets.
However, the article continued, not one market had an adequate vegetable
storehouse. Vegetables and fruit were stored overnight either in unsuitable
shelters or outdoors.
The article stated that only 28 to 30 percent of all goods brought to
market were delivered under an organized plan. The market administration,
while entering into agreements with kolkhozes, often failed to abide by the
rules of these agreements, e.g., by not furnishing transport, facilities to
kolkhozes for the delivery of produce.(5)
According to '/echernyaca Moskve of September 1953, the Ministr3 of Trade
USSR was organizing two specialized trading centers in Moscow and Leningrad,
the "Moscow Fish Products Trading Center" and the "Leningrad Fish Products
Trading Center." Twenty of the Gluveybtorq (Main Administration of Fish
Sales) stores were being transferred to the "Moscow Fish Products Trading
Center." Capital repair and re-equipment of these stores were to be under-
taken. The organization of these specialized trade centers was to be com-
pleted by 15 November 1953.(6)
Leningrad
Leningradska.,"a Pravda reported on 3 September 1953 that 400,000 more
rubles' worth of food and manufactured goods were sold in Leningrad in the
first half of 1953 than in the same period of 1952. Many new, well equipped
stores were opened. New specialized trade organizations for the sale of
bakery products, milk, vegetables, clothing, footwear, and textiles were
also created. However, the work of many trade ,rguni4ations far from an-
swered consumer dcrnnds the paper continued . Many trade organisations
failed to mt-'et the commodity turnover plan, and one organi:ation did not
even equal last year's performance.
Many trade organizations, disregarding conr?,mer domandc were satisfied
with a limited assortment and low quality of goods, showed no initiative in
exploiting loyal resources for the expansion of commodity turnover, and were
not giving good service to the consumer.
The newspaper criticized the city market odministrat.icn for z.ot ,ziving
enough attention to the problems of construction, planning, and organization
of markets, and to the creation of proper trading conditions for the kolkhoz
farmers who come to the markets.(7)
Another article in l.eningradskuy i^ravdn criticized th? entices of the
"Lenpiodovoshch'torg" (Leningrad Fruit and Vegetable Trading Organization)
for failing to conduct timely and accurate processing of vegetables. For
example, In August 1953, Vegetable Combine No 2 received many cases of cab-
bage and potatoes and stacked them in the open, although storage facilities
were available. As a result, the produce was spoiled. Spoilage also ex-
isted in warehouses, where vegetables lay unsorted for weeks. Practically
all combines were short of workers, and the majority of those on hand were
occupied with loading and unloading of vegetables. Only 20 percent of the
loading and unloading work was mechanized at Combine No 2.
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The same new;paper also reported that by September 1953, 48 bakeries had
already been re-equipped in Leningrad and 26 bakeries were to undergo repairs
[during 19531? Sanitary conditi
ons in bread-baking and bakery enterprises
were improving. Refrigerators were installed in the confectionery departments
of 28 stores. The "Lenkhlebtorg" (Leningrad Trading Organization for the Sale
of Bread) had more than 40o stores in operation.(8)
According to Scvetskaya Moldavia of 30 September 1953, over 150 new food
and vegetable story have been opened in Leningrad in the first 9 months of
1953. By the end of 1953, 30 edditional trading enterprises were expected to
be opened (0)
Leningra?irka;a Pravda of 9 September 1953 food and mr:rntecture9-goois stores, tents, and bakeries hserved rthemworkers 0of
Nevskiy Ra,.on, and that the network of trade enterprises was still expanding.(10)
Other RSFSR C1t.ies and Obias
is
Prai-h re-pint.ed that in the first 7 months of 1953 the inhabitants of the
rural area arcur.d ,hvi,aibirsk had acquired, through consumers cooperatives,
large numbers of pianos, more than 200 motorcycles, over 6,000 bicycles, 1,500
radio receivers, e}hout sewing machines, and over 40,000 watches. Almost
ten miiiinn rul,Ies' wort:: of silk fabrics have also been sold.
r"'?'' if, ,n::t:u-tion materials and household goods was also expanding,
the ar'o' l' -, t?;d ?ing the first 7 months of 1953, 2 1,2 times more iron,
wire, napi: and :at.. a ve been sold than during the same period of 1952.
Kolkhozes a i r , 1 7,0 t. ucks and 7 passenger cars through the consumers
cooper,it
A-cord_ng tn, es'a.;a u; 5 September 1953, crosum-rs cooperatives of
Kirovska ;r: m! l l ion rubles' worth more s
months of ta, use period go ha in the find 7
in sales of 1952. There had d been an .ncrease
:lothinf,, leather footwear, sewing machines, radios,
anti bic~... i?,h- -e. -,nnnl,t r.,.,,- ,.1 -- - -
is same rvrPe," stated that in Smolenskayu Oblast the
demand for c and the commodity turnover of state and cooperative
trade w?r?. .p ;..:a th'? lust few months before September 19531, 20
new ,-.. in .rice and villa
7co of the oblas,..(12)
artic-lr ]r; IcvestiSs, Clout 250 L'ut lti~i r ~ new storer, more
of ?.lininil rooms were opened in 1(olotovska}ai oblast
in 195,-' N... ., i . ,.; :,umber of trade enter prises was the dicta abut.,.? I still inadequate and
? Tne.-^ short.-wrings were especially acute in timber-
process;rr +.usi :?I,*:,! r?.?,;', The inhabitants of many populated areas were r,l? f e t 1 r ; , ere not
1 ,-or.r,:rer goods in their Immediate vicinity.
Th, t " :,t?i that ores werr not bcim? built quickly enough
pn ne '" rmrnt;; Alth il,li the Workers' Suppl Administration of
the 'tlcir)t..tr;'..,: to tui11 150 new stores in 1952, it
built. oni?; 5 i
S,irrl .; V-,, L']-'; were piled up at warehouses and bases because of the
unsatisf.u t a r o:c?;:r,i:?aticn of trade, the article continued. The Aleksandrov
Trading 0rr,arrc:+rinn received enough soap to last 19 years, enough perfume to
last 6 Vicar:, and enough china and porcelain goods to last 5 years; yet soar
and other essential gcods have not been available in stores of Shchuch'ye-
Ozerskiy Rayon for .cme time. Supply bases were often well stocked with gro-
cery products, chile stores lacked a minimum assortment of these items.(13)
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A.ccordinr to Z;ovetskava Kirgizi^a, kolkho_ s in Stavropo.l'skiy Kray,
RSFSR, were excandirg their sales of agricultural surpluses to consumers
cooperatives. From the beginning of 1953, the sale of various products to
consumers cooperatives was twice as great as in the same period of 1952.
The sale of meat was 2.5 times that of the corresponding period of 1952,
the sale of butter and honey was doubled, and the sale of fruit increased
sixfold. Consumers cooperatives in turn have considerably expanded their
trade in manufactured goods?(14)
Fo Accordin:; to ovetskavu Litva of 1 September 1953, lar?e shipments of
goods to Petroi:aviovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula have been delivered by ship
in 1953. The star,-s of Kamchatka were receiving high-quality footgear, ready-
ar clothing, silk and woolen fabrics, bicycles, otorcycles, radios, and
food products from Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, -nd other cities of the country.
Inv the firs .( month- of 1953, more than 6- ' n million rubles' worth of goods
d to workers of the oblast ?.most as mu-i:,__. in the first 9
months of 1~??,t15)
According to i'ravda of 2 September 1953, 235 koikhos markets were oper-
ating in cities, r.: yon centers a
S., R. In the month of ^ ~.r' ,?ust 1.953 nd ?.:or}:crs' settlements of the rian
;,!one, more than 12 million ruble-' worth
1nultur::, prod;-- was sold to the city population through l:o'
S z mar-
to Minsk m^:rkets from r7 kolkhozes. This wesoalmostrtenttimes more thanvthed
average drily deiive:'y in August 1952.(16)
Ascordin,, to an ru?ticle in Sovetsk+:ya Estoniya, over 2 million rubles
have been spent in the postwar years on the construction of trade enterprises
in Minsk. In th. last two years 11952-1953;, 60 stores have been set up in
newly constrw-t.l residential dwellings. Tens of trade enterprises were to
be opened in 1'. The network of specialized stores in Kiosk was also ex-
paniing.(:7)
However r
t.i; rtirle in Mil-SR
k
??_rc'' , r..,,; i,cost serious ortrominns. T,?ns? of trade enter-
prisers and not fulfilling, the cc!r,^odity turnover plan. A
number of stare ::::!r:o:?c?_ .and directors of tr-dino; or;.e:niz-ntions tolerated
irregular dali?n.r of -. s- s to store-, which le,] to di::rupi:ionr in trade. In
tile so..ant a:rte! nck trndtp' izr ti
t~ ^..c their stocks
of _ottcn ?:tri silk, ':nuctl nrolu'1,'
ing (Ir-anizrti.-n)? f',)!. .,;:ample, fared nlrl;to: (oresd Trad-
fu'.fill it: corr.,odity turnover plan
by more t.h!:n c!, rubles. Ina :u:vey of hundreds of stores, infractions
of Soviet tr.,](, r.:les were observe] in half of them.(13)
Acrording; to Brother article in Covetnkn"a Belornc;i_y;^, over 20C; million
rubles ;lave been :;Pnt in the last. 3 -/ear,on the ccnstr;rcti.on and organiza-
tion of trade ertc,rprisee: of the fleloruc:si: n SSR. In l''53, 88 million rubles
have been allocated for that purpose. Thu: quantity of roods going on sale in
the stores his, .1 -) 1;c increasln5'. In :,;53, over 3r , oil_ lion rubles' worth
of additional food and manufactured products were allocsted to the republic.
The article also stated that the Ministry of Trade did not meet the com-
modity turnover plan as a whole for the first half of 1953, and also failed
to meet the capital construction plan both for 1952 and for the first 7 months
of 1953, thus disrupting the schedule for the opening of specialized footwear,
clothing, and other stores.(19)
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According to a September issue of Pravda U.rainy, the trade network serv-
ing the rail workers of the Southwest Railroad System was being enlarged. At
the Kiev Locomotive Terminal imeni Andreyev, a large manufactured goods store
with departments for ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, fabrics, and knitwear
has been opened. Trade has also begun in the well equipped food store for rail
workers at Chol:olovka.
Hew tr_dir:g enterprises were also being opened on the line, the article
continued. A food store for the workers of the Cherni ovsk Terminal has been
out into eot'vice. The equipping of a manufactured roods store and a food store
for rail worker.; of Belay7; Tserkov' in Marinovkr was being completed, and a
food store for w.aorkerz of the Korosten' Terminal was being constructed. In
addition, c0 l'ergo ?iepartn.?nt store wan to be opened in Darnitsa. Altogether
12 store., dlnir;? rooms, :.:7d 2 bakeries were to be opened in 1953 on the
J~,,thae::*, Rr.Liaced " ?stca,. Four more railway-err stores have been equipped
to travel __on;? the iir:e.(''.))
Accorrinr, t,j ?..a item In Ve,hernya?ra 1!osb:va, new rural stores were being
opened in mOnp r ?s of r;l.::r'kovskaya Oblast. Twenty-four new rural stores
have beiun operr:t!one in the first -1 months 01' 1953. Since the start of 1953,
conmodity turno';er in the rural n.rtwork has inareaced 23.3 percent.(21)
An rt.irlc :r? Turkmenskayt. Isi:ra stated that there were 973 stores and
419 larder warenonsa's trading in construction materials in rural areas and
yon of the 'Prr%;nion ;SR. Twenty of the stores and lumber ware-
houses woo operc,d i .ring the first 7 nontits of 1953. In Kiyevskrva Oblast
alone, over 20 :t.ur:: end ? lumber warehouses were selling construction
materials to k;lkhc:: ...rtner..(22)
Asccn?dint t:> HoT,scrol'ska;ra la'uvdu of 12 September 1953, more than 150
large .tore: t, one lion in Dneprotetrovsk, Krivoy Rog, and
and ., node: r .. ::tore with sit ,et;,"tmertt:1 were also opened in
n.?prtnea..';.. a-cuf,: t?tred rotels ..tore be-c.n operations in
Inepr0dze:?,:};i:: ., . :.1,.?csaIlzed stores c1' "U:rodezi:da" (Ukrainian Trade
aniz::' 1- a of, 2lot hl.n ) ware q:, red in l ivoy Hop and Hikopol
B; the curl of trading enterprise:: .ore to be put into operation
s;c,3n en 1 Iepteml-e" itd th:.t, in 1)52 more then
;,0 tor. .n. t i Inihlt ;tenter?rie opened in cities and
villages of tl,'; ' ._
..:inir.n 0S2. In the first half eel' 1953, the trade network
of tlle in reared by core than unite. However, the 1952
plan for -(,nstre lien of dining rooms wes not _omoleted, and the 1951 plan
was not heinu :1:pu:t~:ly i'ulfilied. In the first, half of 1953, local trading
o:?;a:nlznt.i~:nn a:r:l trusts oorned only :a7 of 1'dh dining rooms planned
for 1953?(24)
In later r=rt i , i`:?avdr: iikr_:iny pre.;cnteI .. 1-view of letters from
:or}, . One write:, the 1c_ck of corks for
thorn,oo hot.tle, :train? that it possible fo get a new cork only by buying
a new therr;o! bottl':. residents of Chernevo Village of Shalyginskiy
Rayon, Sumskaya -omplained about the short supply of batteries for
radio re-'civet's. A letter from Icu,ail complained about the lack of children's
suits, trouse:?'s, and cots (25)
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In another September 1953 article, Pravda Ukrainy reported that commodity
turnover in Stalinskaya Oblast has increased 20 percent as compared with 1952.
Several stores have been opened in Gorlovka and by the end of 1953, 13 new
stores dealing in Jewelry, furniture, electrical appliances, and food were to
be opened. More than 40 new stores were opened in Zhdanov. By September,
there were over 5,300 stores and approximately 3,000 public eating establish-
ments in the oblast and, by the end of 1953, approximately 300 more stores and
dining rooms were to be put into operation. Sales in the following consumer
goods have increased considerably: meat, sausage products, milk, clothing,
footwear, knitwear, and silk.(26)
In a 24 September article, Izvesti reported that Khar'kov had 943
general shops, 90 tailoring shops, 1,1 2 food and manufactured goods stores,
and over 1,000 stalls. A network of stores specializing in dietetic, meat,
dairy, and other products has also been created.(27)
Lithuanian SSR
According to Sovetskaya Litva of 8 September 1953, the trade network in
the Lithuanian SSR was undergoing a general expansion. The number of spe-
cialized stores selling clothing, footwear, and cultural products was being
increased. In rural localities, consumer cooperative stores as well as rayon
and rural stores were to sell more textiles, footwear, sewing machines, and
knitted fabrics. In the fourth quarter 1953, the government has Increased
allocations of manufactured goods for consumers cooperatives by 50 percent.
Consumers :ooperatives )ere to receive an additional 3,800,000 rubles' worth
of wool fabrics, and an additional 1.5 million rubles' worth of silk and
other manufactured goods. The sale of food and manufactured goods in state
trade was also increasing greatly.
However, the article stated that many trading organizations of the re-
public were not serving the consumer adequately. Sales personnel failed to
observe store hours and were rude to customers. The fixed assortment minimum
for goods was not adhered to, and suburban stores had shortages of essential
commodities.(28)
In another September 1953 article, Sovetskaya Litva reported that 10
million rubles' worth of goods were being sold in the Vil'nyun, department
store every month. This figure was over a million rubles more than in any
month of 1952. However, deficiencies in the assortment and quality of goods,
particularly sewn goods and footwear, were still in existence.(29)
Finally, Sovetskaya Litva of 11 September 1953 announced that in the
fourth quarter 1953 the trade network of the Ministry of Trade Lithuanian
SSR was to sell certain commodities over and above regular allocations as
follows: 9 million rubles' worth of silk fabrics, 14.5 million rubles'
worth of ready-to-wear clothing, and more than one million rubles' worth of
new-style footwear. In the second half of 1953, several thousand radio
receivers, thousands of wrist watches, tens of Pobeda and Moskvich passenger
cars, many sewing machines, and a large quantity of construction materials
were also to go on sale in addition to the regular allocations. In addition,
in the second half of 1953, 98 percent more meat, 40 percent more fish, 42
percent more sausage products, 125 percent more vegetable oil, and 37 percent
more sugar were to be sold than during the same period of 1952.(30)
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Estonian SSR
In an article of 19 September 1953, Sovetskaya Estoniaa reported that
the volume of retail trade in the Estonian 8$R in the second quarter 1953
increased 23 percent over the same period of 1952. In the first 8 moths
of 1953, 30 percent more goods were sold in the manufactured goods stoles
of Kokhtla-Yarve than in the same period of 1952. The inhabitants of
Kokhtla-Yarve acquired over 4 million rubles' worth of cotton and silk
fabrics alone.
However, the article continued, serious shortcomings and disruptions is
trade still existed. Goods often could not be found in the stores even when
they were available at the warehouses and bases, and essential commodities
such as laundry soap, salt, and baking soda were not always on sale.(31)
Karelo-Finnish SSR
According to Leninakoye Znamya of 1 September 1953, the number of trade
enterprises in Petrozavodsk has increased from 375 in 1950 to 1180 in 1953.
In the first half of 1953, compared with the same period in 1952, commodity
turnover increased by 16 million rubles. The sale of basic food and manu-
factured goods, such as sugar, fate, hosiery, silk fabrics, leather footwear,
etc., increased considerably. The demand for durable goods also increased
sharply. In the first 6 months of 1953, compared with the same period of
1952, sales increased as follows: bicycles, 550 percent; radios, 150 psleeet)
accordions, 340 percent; motorcycles, 60 percent; and metal beds, 180 percent.(3
In another article, Leninakoye Znamya declared that the wholesale base of
the Karelo-Finnish Consumers Union was increasing its deliveries of samefao.
tured goods to various rayons of the republic. In 1953, the value of bieyoles,
phonographs, and photographic equipment consigned to rayons was hundreds of
thousands of rubles above that of 1952.
The article also stated that the demand for textile goods was growing.
The "Tekstil'sbyt" [Administration for the Sale of Textiles?) base sold
97,461,000 rubles' worth of woolen, silk, and cotton fabrics in the first
8 months of 1953?(33)
Leninskoye Znamya also criticized a number of stores for failing regu-
larly to meet the commodity turnover plan. For example, in one of the
"Pishchetorg" stores in July [1953), such items as sugar, barley products,
macaroni, nonalcoholic beverages, and many other everyday products were not
on sale.
The network of public dining enterprises was also inadequate? the article
complained. In many public dining rooms and snack bars, the menu was very
limited and the quality of food was low. Some public dining enterprises eper.
ated under difficult conditions. For example, in one restaurant the whole pro-
cess of food preparation was done manually; special equipment vas not used for
lack of space. In 1953, only two new dining rooms were to be put into earw
vice.(32)
In still another article, Leninskoye Znam declared that operations of
wholesale warehouses were still poorly organ and resulted in a frequent
pile up of nonmoving goods. For example, on 1 July 1953, the ORS (Workers?
Supply Division) of the "Pitkyaranta" Cellulose Plant had accumulated the
following large surpluses for which there was little popular demands 450,000
rubles' worth of cotton fabrics, 200,000 rubles' worth of leather footwear,
100,000 rubles' worth of rubber footwear, and 57,000 rubles' worth of other'
goods. At the same time, goods which were in constant demand, such as skit.
lets, washboards, scissors, electric coils, electric cords, aluminum forks and
spoons, etc., were not on sale.(34)
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,ld stores ng to :, d
equipped 'eptember 1953 is:cua o r:i? ?
, rlininr3 rooms, and cafewere `,zing c e ( in
first 8 months of 1)53, ,,26 state and co, operat.i?:,, : tcrec :lint foc", a
manufactured goods have been put; into operation in 7i ?.;`)
t_,tvinn ; : ii
nova: tn:r .aced run: rr , ...
the Puic?r continued h-
::uiaer:. -?c.,r,(:rat .,r.. , .., ,. oS ^rade
holdw:,l',n SS^ have :.n'.
] in -to-o c."! _onridc:?;bly cvr t: ? --
rocsro:lit,. on^Er ;
951. f;[tai]. tar
^o1dovian 6SR
[nc c.rticlc: .f r
ype:, ,r trot,, et cru'
;alt, ]anl t " tz>dc net.or!: f , .r?
nl
tr: rehr,u: (:,C1 , e_^ s:h i.:.. (. ?ii:: h.'e at
F'..
r t , .. .:cumulated at rr t. .. I
'o:~c.o lttie for 'r :t ri , , _. ~j ~., -_u s. rr(
on*.ri:,ed n nur r ?r 1 -??` -' " r o: i,ti
+rn'iinr, ent ur i:, i.r v a: t
one rrr;on c'.ep r?,..;t : t
ot.he r dri rtr,:? n( rr rpc: ial sous n r .tot' aoa
Yntr,.ion ', t;.:roon, end r
.^]'. ?1~:~e( t,.. .n_,
?i.37) c
`icrl.
Tr;,,lc? or r,i.::,:tip - r. ~- ...
( n . ni,j?l.ying the ci ?': c t i. , to, i : r
J'1 Ct,:?t)1F_b, pot:-t :, i,,. .^,onc?u
'met 0703L n C 1(,. jl Lt:-
training 00]ortion, pl .,.em_nt Fact
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In an 18 September article Kommunist reported that a new rural store,
the 55th to date, has been opened in A
stores, it carries a wide assortment of silk,Awoolen, and cotton fabri s,l
footwear, knitwear, ready-to-wear clothing, and food products.
The article stated that the network of stores in the republic was con.
tinually increasing. Twenty-two new rural stores were to he opened in
Vedinskiy, Shaumyanskiy, Gorisskiy, and Idzhevanskiy rayons, and rural stores
were to be opened in Azizbekovskiy, Akhtinskiy, and Basargecharskiy rayons.(39)
Kommunist reported that the population of cities and rural areas of the
Armenian SSR was exhibiting an ever greater demand for everyday electrical
appliances and products. According to the article, Special Store No 1 of the
Main Administration for the Sale of Electrical Industry Froducts in Yerevan
had 320 to 370 different types of electrical products on sale. New items
such as electric floor polishers, record players, ;havers, and combination
tea kettles and samovars were quickly bought up. The store fulfilled the com-
modity turnover plan 115 percent in the first half of 1953.
The newspaper complained that republic industry was not producing enough
of the electrical products sold in the Armenian SSR. Most of the goods were
obtained from Leningrad, Moscow, Saratov, Kiev, and Riga. Consumers also
complained justifiably about the quality of products, particularly washing
machines and refrigerators.(4o)
Georgian SSH
Vechernyaya Moskva reported on 3 September 1953 that a new footwear store
of the Gruzobuv'tor(Georgian Footwear Trading Organization) and a new
Gruzodezhda" (Georgian Clothing Trading organization) store have been put
into operation in Tbilisi. In the first 8 months of 1953, over 70 stores,
stalls, and pavilions hove been opened in Tbilisi. Half of them are located
in outlying districts.(21)
Zarya Vostoka of 6 September 1953 also mentioned the opening of several
new trading organisations in Tbilisi -- the Tbilisi "Tekstil'torg" (Trade
Organization for the Sale of Textiles), which has been organized to sell tex-
tile products and which took over four "Tbilpromtorg" (19rilisi Manufactured
Goods Trading Organization) stores, and two other specialized textile stores.
Branch stores of new trading organizations were also being opened in Sukhumi,
Batumi, and Kutaisi.(41)
According to another September article in o,,;ry.;` 'locto::a, the retail trade
network in Batumi, Georgian SSR, acquired three new delicatessen and grocery
stores, and a children's store since the beginninc: of 1953. Two more special-
ized stores, a dishware, furniture, and cultural-goods store, and a bakery were
opened in the beginninF, of September 1953.
Two "Gruzodezhda" and one "Gruzobuv"' stores were being put into operation.
The new stores were artistically decorated and furnished with the latest equip-
ment.(42)
Azerbaydzhan SSR
According to Bakinskiv Rabochiv of 6 September 1953, 19 million rubles'
worth of food and manufactured commodities were sold in the villages of
Tauzskiy Rayon, Azerbaydzhan SSR, during the first 7 months of 1953, includ-
ing 7.5 million rubles' worth of cotton fabrics, 2.5 million rubles' worth of
sugar and confectionery products, furniture, beds, and various other products.
A new dining room for workers of the Tauz Cement Plant was put into operation.
Construction of a large store for the sale of manufactured and food commodities
was also near completion in Tauz City.(43)
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In another September article, Ba,;inckiy Raboclhi reported that workers
of the Azerhnydzhan petroleum rayons -;ere orquirin: more nd rsore mamafa-tured
commodities, including furniture, motorcycier, bd ycL.r:, refrigerators, radio
receivers, etc. As of September 1953, more than 292 :tore,- in the petroleum
rayons dealt in manufactured goods; 55 were speciuilzcd, selling footwear,
ready-to-wear clothing, furniture, and cultural :n ic. :,..call 25 new spe-
cialized stores were put into operation in Kirovsidy, E? leumyr.novskiy, Stalin-
skiy, Kishlinskiy, and other Baku rayon2.(L4)
,cording to Fozo Lrtanskay: ;'rnvda of l.t ?:-?r i5 3. 11 percent more
fabric:, 26 percent. more sewn good:;, end 27 :,vr-:eni -;ore knitted products were
sold in Kazakhstan in the firs!, rtes 1 n ..:c first quarter 1952.
Sales of food, radio receiver;, is-h,s, bi ,'.e ..?_ni1.:r', and other goods
have greatly increscd. In the re-ond half of _. _o-;.p:rred with the
second half of 1952, the -File of meat was t "n -:ruse i.1. correct, butter,
46.3 percent, sugar, 3'?r percent, and sauc^_,-c [re^llr??.c, 23 percent.
During the f rrt. half of 1753, 32'' tees: ..- pond enterprises vr:?c opened
in the republic, t %.a article c_tate,i. 'M!E network of :.pecinlizod stor,,r has
Frown. However, the raper en plea^ed, mans tro_ic o auctions were legging
behind in plan ful Cil itrent, c?ricf lv bemuse of an unmaisfartory or Frniz ation
of trade. :;nn,; iiiinor of rest,... ;..h r.r n piled u,, in bases
and stores, rand larcc nnounts of ;;cods?rere 'jetnirr?1 at. 1 ni.ribution Ices .(f 5)
In another ileptetber 1953 article, Knzakhst?:nsknrn Pravda reported that
during ? 1/2 ;;ears of the Fifth Five-Ya_ ar Plr:nrc?re th--, 3; new stores :.:ere
put into operation in villugec of ':>rthern Kazakhstan. New buildings for
housewares and cultural-goods stores sere hein(; constructed in rayon center,
of Severo-Kazakhstansknya Oblast.
According to the article, sine the le:,ienirg of 1953, kolkhoz '.n-keys,
mechanization pc'I'll iets, and the rural ntc1lir.,cntria have hcur?,ht 6 million
more rubles' worth of manufactured and food -ormodities the.; in the ramp period
of 1952. 2a1cr o, aes rye ou':led, 5 -es of 'eathee and
rubber footwear in ears>rdV5'i par-ant, :nd sal' of ....its, overcoats %iresaes,
and other se-,n ,r,roclr ._ ir.cre,,::cl !'y ne rut.l.ion r:'~'ec, co^^ore,l .:1 t1: the
correepondin acrio'.
Kir fiz S
Sovctcka ;C r 1 i?n o:' 1 an,; ct .:. dining
rooms, bakeries, ...,,i vr,, r :r)?.... i:. in industry
enterprises.
Another rrticlc In ^ i . ,. a we
....:n.?.. ? cured
Foods store or..:ncd r !-Et dr r.: .,? l ,. _IC ,?:: ,.. _. .,. ..:. ,.
operation, it sold over .?olcn, ..ilk, and -,,ttcn
fabrics, overcoats, ran 'a. women':, :n3 :hLJ1:cr, :ult.::, knitwear, fnotwer.r,
and other goods.
In the first ' rrnnths of 1953, now stores, lining rooms, and tc,ircom.,.,
have been opened in th?' -1ties and vi llagea of K0!;:urlu, and by the e:rl cf
just as many more were to be put into operation. The construction of . n
kolhthoz market in the rapi!.`1. of the rcluhlic was r;lnc begun.(47)
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Curr?i
In another Septenbe.
that to correct the 1'~s; issue of oret.,L s
serious ho t + ed
consumers cooperatives have pprox
approximately 10 million ruble- on the con-
struction rayons, warehouses since the beginning oC 19 i3, In sev-
eral new rayon department stores, several rural dcp^rt:rent stores, and
a number of tearooms and warehouses were to be constructed.
According to the article, direct procurement i:as been vlrielL: expanded by
consumers cooperatives. The personal material i.nterest of !.;1,, d:olithozes and
h1Y.hoz farmers in greeter prods-tion of pot::toes and orbs' rcgetables and in
expansion of livestock breedinr has beer incrc::sir:;, td, :: eby :,r:.lir,S to
increased deliveries of
agricultural product. to the consur.::?rs tires.
Consumers cooperatives have already began to
trade in 3e: ]on r: i,ra::i pre,.; rem of
potatoes, ve;;eta'c ec, and fruits on r. corras::ion bncis. lkhores
have the rir;ht to turn rot-t:-.?e' over to the earn:.or c:,-.aaaii,c c;r?:,:acraions
on a commission hacia ::_t.,r obligatory delier'ies to the
filled and been ful-
ful-
grnin stock r...,umulate3.
khozes uft Veret%: Ios -an be 4.11::1(" o.er b;; kol-
e: fulfillment of their monthly de"_ive??, plane, to t!:c r*.:tc?, whether
or not the procurement; plan for the rayon ,.
wh?le l:a:; been fuliillri.
The article stated further that, as ;.n r.dditionai i7,?cntivc, ;onr.urr_rc
cooperatives were now permitted to sell' to a k
electric. motors, o1k'.:oz
lumber, roofing and section iron lOte, n .d 1
nertlfn t1(.r : , ? ether.
F ds o:? :.;ri Rural or d.o:c,:ho!d se to fire
-tae of a;ricultural products bought by :, consumers c:oonerr.tlre'from the
particular kolkho:. In addition, koll:hozes :.rhieh cell res Irier:blc r?,u'.nti-
ties of meet and milk receive supplemcnt^_ry :ash :,aym,nts. Kolkhozes ,hich
enter into such agreements are advanced 30 of ile ,.b,.;,.
the products each quarter. This practice is~bein,; expanded to include in-
dividual dividual suppliers who have fulfilled their obligations to the rtate and wish
to turn over liveutoc!: products to consumer:; cooperatives in conformity with
the system of state purchases .(1t3)
Sovetska??a Kir.i:i? reported that
the ~?a?.mo~. lty rr. . f t,rc,!c
ente:-prises t,'cl?:c
of ]15't a Obl t .^ rc nt;. I n + first hat'
, consumer ieratives sold 2,,_',11', rub r ' ;n ti ,.crc ,, cra than
in the same period of '552-
Gcve:al n:ra. .to:?^:; cud r.tbn" entr?:?;:rieea
arc now beint; onctr,, t?.d l:r ,ar'iouc rr.;;oss. Ore-' ore ^; -r a i
i r , ?rove
been t: ;ro ri.- to d a + c such ,natru .. t ton ;u fife nion of
consumers e :?st ,Ilya)
Tadzhik SSR
A :eat mbar 1 ' : t i t l e in Pravda s' t . that the ? Si rural to-ali its u he in
4 r: or ratty i seers in 1,'
large rural stores h--?e a1re-dy be n carne" 3 :c) rc e
built. large department store her h
eon oi::ed In the ce:a cr 1(i' Nuy: y-
shevskiy Rayon. New depart. :; rat stores .n?. ;ura to be
opeao:i coon in
Koktachskiy, Or3zhoni'r, dsc:zbudski , Toklrr'.Ln:kiy, and other ?crs.(5')
In the 15 September is;cuc, Kommunist Tadzhikistan, reported that the
Tadzhik SSR hod been nllo--tted 77 ?million curia ~ocds
for 199'4. In 19'3i rerr-ant mere meat, 31 percent :;ore fish rroducts
594 percent molt animal fats, ?9.1 percent more confectionery product:, 18.1 nor-
cent more augur, 72.2 pcrcer:t more cheese, 3nIc-r:?,.t.more vct td'I oil, ar,! 117?
percent more dairy products were to be sold in the republic than an i95v. me
sale of manufactured goods, including motor--y-:le.?, automobiles, rod to re-eivr ra,
home refrigerators, and electrical heating devian, was also in--en'In; ,??c.tly.
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In 1953, the ltinictry of Trade established sevo:::1 .feces :.!ei staff" for
the sale of vegetables. The Stalinabad Food Tr?.din
vegetable stores in August.(51)
In another September 1953 article, Kommuniet Tadchikist_:n:i reported that
state, cooperative, and kolkhoz trade was undergoing Fr?rl
Tadzhik SSR. In the second half of 1953, ^th repn in the
food population icn o?ythclrepcbllcswasIn
to receive an additional supply of various the
the first 9 months of 1953, 12 new rural stores, 5 ::ner.ia.i:cd textile and foot-
weur stores, and 14 specialized household goods :;tor c (,11.rned in rural
areas.
The article criticized certain aspects of trach_ a follcv::: rc_ny stores
failed regularly to meet the commodity turnover plan, ti!: a::.,)!'tmene of goodc
was inadequate, prop,.. :sanitary rules were not o; s .rv_d, onsur..c^ demnrds
wore ignored. Store; lot ted in the outskirts of be =Lt; .:ere more .oorly
supplied with product: f...n those located in the center.(5 j
Turkmen SSR
,ccordin,_ to Turkoenol r'cv Iskr of 19 Ser;temb.? a-
tionc of the Turkmen SSR acre not fully uti]i.ing t!:e r r .cur es for the
optimum development of trade. The ,resent trade n:lu.ti; not meetini; the
increasr.rl requirements of the consumer. Ashkhab,d n--irl :+ -1:0 ree,
ell a;ui,;;:ci ;torec. lxisting warehouses were nc` ncutin,- the recd:c of the
trade network.
o
ff
'
inferior quality to the stores.(53)
Uzhek S52
The article further complained that suppliers t:_ilc] lsrl to make
full deliveries, dill not provide a good assortment , .rd kncxin,;ly sent goods
ecutive Committcc in a ?. enl meetinc:, concerning, ti lull: .::nuf,ctured
oo,]s tf.r' le -.. the n- dc,,-.deli that Y,erc u
w,rrt tit. hart cmings
m.
outnl:irta. Tire committee outlined prr.ctical measurc.
1'%,:
of
,,.rte or Cuo! :.n7 c,c:nufuc:tu;ed goods.(lie)
gani:.ationc for scriouc shortcomings. Consumar d,:r:,n?1:.
r, l
one ,tered,
and mistakes .,urn made in the delivery and Ii_tributiou cC
.:..
9or the second half of 1953i the article continued, :iditiunr.l supplies
Of Foods, such s meat, butter, vegetable oil, su,7%r, and ci number o" other
products, have been set aside for the Uzbek SSR.(55)
i'ravda Vostol:a of 9 Se;?,`.,enher 1953 reported ti 'P: cn! Cit?~ So-
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Later in the month, another Pravda Vostoka article was critical of the
work of trading organizations of the Uzbek SSR. Stores of the consumers
sewn goods, often failed to carry essential goods and such items as fabrics,
, footwear, cultural goods, and other products for which there was
great demand. Investigation has shown that bases and warehouses of consumers
cooperatives have sufficient quantities of goods, but the planning of the
delivery of goods to the stores was still poorly organized. There have been
instances when goods set aside for sale to workers and employees have been
used for other purposes, such as sale to sovkhozes. The paper also com-
plained that short weighing and measuring and overcharging still took place
in the stores.(56)
SOURCES
1. Moscow, Izvestiya, 9 Sep 53
2. Moscow, Trud, 23 Sep 53
3. Izvestiya, 23 Sep 53
4. Moscow, Moskovskaya Pravda, 5 Sep 53
5. Ibid., 19 Sep 53
6. Moscow, Vechernyaya Moskva, 8 Sep 53
7. Leningrad, Leningradskaya Pravda, 3 Sep 53
8. Ibid., 17 Sep 53
9. Kishinev, Sovetskaya Moldaviya, 30 Sep 53
10. Leningradskaya Pravda, 9 Sep 53
11. Moscow, Pravda, 4 Sep 53
12. Izvestiya, 5 Sep 53
13. Ibid., 8 Sep 53
14. Frunze, Sovetskaya Kirgiziya, 11 Sep 53
15. Vil'nyus, Sovetskaya Litva, 1 Sep 53
16. Pravda, 2 Sep 53
17. Tallin, Sovetskaya Estoniya, 3 Sep 53
18. Minsk, Sovetskaya Belorussiya, 4 Sep 53
19. Ibid., 6 Sep 53
20. Kiev, Pravda Ukrainy, 1 Sep 53
21. Vechernyaya Moskva, 3 Sep 53
22. Ashkhabad, Turkmenskaya Iskra, 24 Sep 53
23. Moscow, Komsomol'skaya Pravda, 12 Sep 53
CONFIDENTIAL
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24. Pravda Ukrainy, 13 Sep 53
25. Ibid., 18 Sep 53
26. Ibid., 25 Sep 53
27. Izvestiya, 24 Sep 53
28. Sovetskaya Litva, 8 Sep 53
29. Ibid., 10'8ep 53
30. Ibid., 11 Sep 53
31. Sovetskaya Estoniya, 24 Se:, 53
32. Petrozavodsk, Leninskoye n!++a m.
33. Ibid., 16 Sep 53
34. Ibid., 10 Sep 53
35. Riga, Sovetskaya Latviya, 23 Sep
36. Kishinev, Sovetskaya 2?!oLl_.:i1t, i,
37. Ibid., 26 Sep 53
38. Yerevan, Kommunist, 6 Sep 53
39. Ibid., 18 Sep 53
40. Iui,:., 25 Sep 53
41.
43,
44.
Tbilisi, Zarya Vortoka, 6 ser v,,
Ibid., 11 Sep 53
Baku, Eakinskiy P.abochiy, 6
Ibid., 11 Sep 53
45? rashkcnt, F:a:zakbst:.nsk:rn ^- ,
l+6. Ibid., 11 Sep 53
47. Frunze, Sovetskaya
49. Ibid., 5 Sep 53
49. I'..id., 10 Sep 53
50. ir::vda, 21 Sep 53
51. Stalinabad, Kommunist Tadzhikistan:, 15 ocp
52. Ibid., 9 Sep 53
53. Turkmenskaya Iskra, 19 Sep 53
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CONFIDEW'Ii.L
54. Tashkent, Pravda Vostok,-, 9 g(,p
55. Ibid., 10 Sep 53
56. Ibid., 22 SeP 53
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