Evening star., 1943-06-29
Russiu's Food Problem

Ofhclal reports and estimates from
Moscow on crop prospects in the
Soviet Union are as important as
military communicates from the
combat areas. This is because Rus
sias food front is as vital as the
fighting front, and until recently it
has been fully as grave a problem.
RuSsia's historic bread basket" is
the Ukraine, together with the ad-
jacent Kuban region just to the east
ward. The Ukraine was overrun by
the initial German drive two years
ago. and has remained in Axis
hands. Last year the Kuban was
likewise temporarily occupied by the
Axis before the harvests could be
reaped, and though it was recovered
by the Soviet counteroffensive last
winter, wars devastation prevents it
from being a normal source of sup
ply this season. 1t should be re-
membered that Russian agriculture
has been largely transformed from
smau-scale peasant production to a
large-scale mechanical system on big
collective farms. This means de-
pendence upon elaborate agricultural
machinery driven by motor power,
which cannot be improvised.
Fortunately, the Soviet govern
ment was as forehanded in it's agri-
culture as it was in its industry.
Determined to supplement its older
centers of agriculture and industry
in Western Russia, which might be
exposed to invasion by new sources
free from such dangers, the Soviet
authorities have for years been
opening up new agricultural lands in
Siberia just as they have built new
industrial centers in and beyond the
Ural Mountains. When the antici-
pated Axis invasion of Western Rus
sia actually occurred, the new
developments were speeded up and
have now attained notable proper
tions.
However, Siberia and European
Russia are alike exposed to wide
variations in rainfall and tempera-
ture which may spell bumper crops
one year and disastrous failures the
next. Last year the harvests we're
below normal, thereby aggravating
the loss of the Ukraine and Kuban.
The result was a very tense food sit
uation which has been only partially
relieved by lease-lend shipments
from the United States and Canada.
In order to keep Russia's vast armies
we'll supplied and in tiptop fighting
trim, the civilian populations of the
cities have had to be put on scant
rations.
That crisis will continue until the
new harvests are gathered Fortu-
nately, an unusually mild winter has
been followed by long, rainy spring.
Though this has tended to keep the
ground too soft for mechanical war
fare, it has been excellent for agri-
culture; so the crop prospects in
Southern Russia, the Kuban and
Western Siberia are unusually good.
In Northern Russia excessive rainfall
has delayed ploughing and seeding,
but unless unseasonably cold weather
should occur, the crops there, though
belated, should be around normal.
The chief handicap to this years
harvests, aside from unfavorable
weather developments not now an
ticipated. is shortage of skilled la
Dor to operate the mechanical COL
lective farms. Women have only
partially compensated for the drain
of rural manpower to the armies,
and city youth, specially mobilized
for farm work. is not proving very
efficient. Nevertheless, Russia's crop
prospects are so much better than
last year that the acute food short
age which has so complicated the war
effort should be distinctly eased and
may not recur. If this comes to pass,
Russian demands for lease-lend food
will diminish this autumn, and the
emphasis can be shifted more to war
materials and other manufactured
articles.