SOVIET DECISION INDICTS AGRICULTURAL FAILURES AND ATTACKS LAGGING GRAIN PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200180007-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: March 11, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NSC BRIEFING 11 March iy54
SOVIET INDICTS AGRICULTURAL
FAILURES AND ATTACKS LAGGING
GRAIN PRODUCTION
I. Major points in 2 March deg ree.
B. , attack on inadequate grain
production.
Reverses Malenkov and Khrushchev
positionk f last fall.
Ii. Decree lists failings of general agri-
cultural program.
A. Livestock and fodder program lagging.
B. Industry fails to produce sufficient
agricultural equipment.
C. State Planning Commission censured
for misguiding agricultural pro-
duction.
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III. Decree specifies failures in grain
production.
A. Yields are deficient and acreages
less than in 1940.
B. Production behind requirements of
population and "growing export
needs."
IV. Grain deficiency reflected in shifting
Soviet trade pattern.
A. Grain exports fell sharply in 1953.
1. Shipments to UK only 10 per-
cent of 1952 but USSR sub-
stitutes large gold sales.
B. Export of grain counted upon to
play major role in a projected
Soviet trade expansion with the
West.
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V. Remedies proposed by decree.
A. Planting of over 30,000,000
acres of marginal land in next
two years.
B. Transfer of technicians and at
least 100,000 laborers to new
lands this year.
Q' . ?~u A-tA, w. k ~Ztt c hR v~1" { 19 ~`
~. But success of these measures
limited by unfavorable soil and
climate conditions.
VI. Implications
A. Disappointing progress of agricul-
tural program threatens entire
consumer goods program.
B. New emphasis on grain production
indicates difficulty in supplying
alternative exports to finance
increased imports.
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C. Criticism directed both at
Gosplan, headed by Saburov,
considered Malenkov protege,
and party mechanism, headed by
First Secretary Khrushchev,
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