Nikita Khrushchev in 1953, developing a plan to dramatically increase agricultural production of the Soviet Union in order to mitigate food shortages suffered by the population.He hopes not only to fill the necessary requirements, but also tries to exceed the performance of Western countries in the procurement of grain crops.
Develop specific plans to increase production
In September of this year is going to Plenum, extending the participation, in addition to Khrushchev himself, two assistants, several editors of "Truth" and one agronomist, to determine the severity of the crisis in agriculture.Earlier Georgy Malenkov received a credit for reforms to solve the agrarian problem in the country.It was supposed to reduce taxes and encourage individual agricultural plots.
Now Nikita Khrushchev proposed a plan that relied on the development of virgin lands in Kazakhstan.Thirteen million hectares of previously cultivated land had to be plowed and cultivated.This land is located on the right bank of the Volga River on the border of the North Caucasus, Western Siberia and Northern Kazakhstan.
For or against the development of new land
leader of Kazakhstan Shayakhmetov specifically underplayed the potential harvest of virgin lands.He did not want to Kazakh territory was under Russian control.Many leading members of the party, such as Molotov, Malenkov and Kaganovich, were against the development of a new earth, and expressed negative feedback.Celina will require huge costs, the plan did not seem cost-effective from a logical point of view.
But Khrushchev insisted that a huge amount of new land under cultivation - is the only way to get a significant increase in yield in a short time.A virgin landers - these are the people who will lead the country's agriculture to a new level.
exciting adventure worth thirty million
Rather than allocate funds for the salaries of the local peasants, Khrushchev developed a special strategy to attract new workers to master.Looked this advertising as a socialist adventure for Soviet youth.Campaign conducted in schools among students graduating classes and other educational institutions.And the first virgin landers - a hundred thousand Komsomol volunteers.In the summer of 1954 they went to the new land.
After the first great crop of Nikita Khrushchev increased the original objectives and now plowing allotted a 13 million hectares of land and about 30. In the period from 1954 to 1958 (during this virgin soil) state spent 30.7 million rublesthe cultivation of new land.
Which crop has brought the country virgin
Overall plow farming in the virgin lands has increased grain production and mitigate food shortages in the fairly short term.Such a huge scale and the initial success of the campaign were to state the value of the historical feat.But, nevertheless, significant fluctuations in grain production from year to year and a gradual reduction of profitability fell short of expectations Nikita in an effort to surpass the US indices of grain crops by 1960.
By the beginning of 1955 to the virgin lands were sent to 200 thousand tractors, created 425 state farms, and a total of 30 million hectares of land were under cultivation, 20 of which were reserved for the harvest.Because of this virgin land in Kazakhstan justify the effort, the total grain production in the country this year was 60 percent higher than the yield of grain for the period from 1949 to 1953.
climatic conditions, or surprises, which are presented virgin.Photo
But because of a severe drought, and it is often found in areas of Kazakhstan, plowed area received only one-tenth of normal precipitation for the next year the grain harvest fell by 35 percent.At that time, Khrushchev was forced to recognize the validity of some of the opposing points of view on how to develop virgin land and whether it is necessary to explore new ground.But, nevertheless, he continued to assert that as a result of the plan will be successful and will reimburse the costs.
The most successful was the harvest in 1956.The output of grain of virgin lands has increased by 180 percent compared to the average previous figures.Encouraged by the success of the developed and implemented the plan, Nikita Khrushchev even toured some regions of virgin land, during which farmers were presented a variety of cash prizes, gifts, and related coin.
main problems or labor shortage
area where the virgin lands were based primarily consisted of rural settlements with a small population.Tselinnik - these were people who were specially drawn for the development of new land.Mainly because of poor villages, orphaned children and enthusiasts, Komsomol.Poor living conditions have forced many workers already in the first few months together and leave the uninhabitable region.
Due to constant emigration remained a catastrophic shortage of manpower.In addition, due to the fact that people came young and inexperienced, they lacked the skills to work effectively as tractors and combines, as well as in other production areas.During the virgin land of 24 thousand different experts was sent to the regions of Kazakhstan for the development of new lands, but 14,000 of them almost immediately left the job because of poor living conditions.
shortage of equipment and spare parts
save and other problems that do not create favorable conditions for the development of production, despite the efforts of Nikita Khrushchev in the supply of the virgin lands of agricultural machinery.It was sent to almost all the newly released hardware from Russian plants, however a lack of equipment in developed territories still keenly felt.In 1959 in Kazakhstan, for every 218 hectares of land accounts for only one tractor.
country has not been able to produce the number of machines it took in connection with the sudden expansion of cultivated areas.In addition, parts for machinery, which were necessary for a simple repair, also remained deficient.As a result, many of the tractor is not used, simply because they did not have enough parts to eliminate elemental damage.
climate and soil characteristics
plow farming is not adapted to the existence in the drylands.A virgin land area received only 200 to 350 millimeters of rain a year.And usually, they fell in July and August, when the grain is ripe, or during harvest.A drought spring comes at a time when young immature shoots are most in need of moisture.
In addition, the length of the growing season was very short.Strong winds caused soil erosion, which is also characterized by still high salt content.Most likely, the causes and impact on the gradual reduction of productivity of grain in the virgin lands after 1959.
Extreme working conditions, or was capable of Soviet people
People who have worked for the good of the country, develop agriculture in virtually unfit for the region - a virgin landers.Photo left from those times show their happy smiles on some pictures you can even see how they are awarded bonuses or awards.But did these workers, many of their efforts wasted?
After Nikita Sergeyevich before the announcement of its plan of land development in Kazakhstan, there is very little storage for the crops.Therefore, when the first harvest, considerable amount was left to rot in the field.In addition, the lack of storage space forced the farmers quickly harvest during suitable weather.
This led to the fact that over-ripe and unripe grains are often mixed, and this caused a high moisture content and as a result damage to the grain.If the harvest in Kazakhstan, the average was about 22 million tons, the storage capacity can accommodate only 10. From this we can draw the appropriate conclusions.
Who are virgin landers?First of all, people who are in extreme conditions almost tried not only to fulfill the plan of grain production set Nikita Khrushchev, but to exceed, as was the custom during the Soviet era.And, as usual, to the Soviet people succeeded even what at first glance looked like the impossible and incredible.
