Agriculture had suffered even more during the war than industry. Stalin treated agriculture as industrys poor relation, seeing it as more of a means to raise capital through the sale of grain than to feed the people of the USSR. After 1945, the state took between 60 and 70 percent of harvested grain.
Though by 1950, grain production had increased greatly during the five post war years, it was still drastically below target.
This was partially due to the low investment that farms recieved.
Though there had been half hearted attempts to improve output, such as increased collectivisation, the formation of brigades and the planting of trees to reverse soil erosion, it was not until 1952 that the level of production reached levels even close to those of 1940.
Historian Alex Nove stated that Soviet agriculture in Stalins final years was characterized by "Ill judged interventions of authority, excessive centralization of decisions, extremely low prices, insufficient investment and lack of adequate incentives".
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