4: Khrushchev Agriculture

Question 1

Name some ambitious projects of Khrushchev

Answer 1

Agrocities
Virgin lands scheme
Merging collective farms
Maize crusade

Question 2

Successes of Khruschev’s agricultural policies

Answer 2

Cereal production increased from 82 million tonnes to 132 million from 1952-1962 (but goal was 180)
No famine
Electrification, mechanisation, and introduction of fertilisers to farms

Question 3

Virgin Lands Scheme beginning

Answer 3

Sought to cultivate lands in Western Siberia and North Kazakhstan
By 1955, 36 million hectares uncultivated land ploughed and thousands of new farmers settled

Question 4

Virgin Lands Scheme long term

Answer 4

Problems
Climate had not been taken into account and soil erosion and exhaustion was a major problem
1962 poor harvest and had to import grain from USA (embarrassment)

Question 5

Other approaches to agriculture

Answer 5

Prices for state procurement increased
Reduced targets and taxes
Granted farms more autonomy
Abolished MTS in 1958

Question 6

Mechanisation and modernisation of Kolkozhes

Answer 6

Allowed collectives to buy tractors, connected them to electricity grids, increased use of chemical fertilisers

Question 7

Merged collective farms

Answer 7

Number of state farms increased
Number of total farms halved 1950-1960

Question 8

What never got beyond the visionary stage?

Answer 8

Agrocities

Question 9

When were MTS abolished?

Answer 9

1958

Question 10

Cereal production statistic

Answer 10

Increased from 82 million to 132 million tonnes from 1952 to 1962
(Goal was 180)

Question 11

Why did Khrushchev like corn so much?

Answer 11

Desperately needed to increase Soviet food supply
Hoped corn could elevate meat and dairy production
Visited Iowa farm in 1959 and was impressed

Question 12

Failure of corn crusades💔

Answer 12

Due to haste and not accounting for climate, a cold and rainy season ruined 75% of the corn acreage
Political ineptitude and short-sightedness
The population liked buckwheat more anyway

Question 13

Corn acreage increase (and why)

Answer 13

4.3 million hectares in 1954 to 18 million the next year
Favourable hot weather

Question 14

Overall problem with Khrushchev’s agricultural policies

Answer 14

Too much was tried without any real planning or evidence

Question 15

Did incentives on collective farms work?

Answer 15

Not really - private plots accounted for 30% of produce sold but 3% of cultivated land