SOVIET FLOCKS AND HERDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23177, 25 October 1938, Page 8

SOVIET FLOCKS AND HERDS

The remarkable growth of Russian flocks and herds from the low point reached in 1933 and 193-1 holds a certain interest in a pastoral country like New Zealand. Even in the past year, if the Soviet's own figures can be accepted as reliable, the increase has been phenomenal and prompts the question as to what would be the effect if expansion continued at the present rate for long and Russia began to produce export surpluses of meat, wool or dairy produce. It should be noted, however, that Soviet flocks and herds have much leeway to make up before they reach the numbers returned in thb census for 1929, the official figures in millions for three recent years under the principal heads being as follows: 1929 1934 1938 Millions Horses . . . . 34.0 14.9 1G.2 Cattle .... 68.1 38.9 50.9 Sheep and goats 115.2 40.8 1)(5.6 Pigs 20.3 17.1 25.7 Here is a picture of pastoral slump in the great depression more sombre than anything New Zealand experienced and, although the recovery since 1931 has been marked, it still tarries far short of the 1929 standard. The prime cause of the deeps into which the Soviet livestock industry fell was the attempt to collectivise farming completely, although the famine years of 1932-33 contributed to the debacle. Even the savage doctrinaires and fanatics in the Kremlin were appalled at the extent of the disaster and after 1934 changed their collective policy so fatas to allow peasants to own livestock. The effect of the restoration of private ownership was immediate, femarkable gains being made under all heads in 1935, pigs alone increasing from 17,100,000 to 25,900,000, or by 50 per cent. The lesson from this vast and cruel experiment needs no emphasis.