ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the situation on 'agricultural front', to analyze measures being taken to correct many defects and distortions from which agriculture has been suffering. Agriculture has, directly and indirectly, been absorbing up to a third of total investment. Productivity remains low by international standards. Farms are supplied with equipment by Goskomselkhoztekhnika, about whose operations complaints abound. Thus it is repeatedly accused of making poor-quality and expensive repairs, while refusing to supply sovkhozy and kolkhozy with needed spare parts. Migration is attributed in part to lack of amenities of life in rural areas. Transport undertakings have plans in ton-kilometres, irrigation plans are expressed in tons of water, fertilizer plans are in tons of nutrient. The product mix is adapted to these measures. Long-planned and long-promised equipment for the mechanization of auxiliary tasks, and other kinds of small-scale equipment and attachments, do not enter production. Complaints are published about nekompleksnost', lack of 'complementary' equipment, which causes labour bottlenecks.
