Agriculture

• The weakest part of the economy was agriculture.

  Even by 1952, production had not reached pre-war levels.

  Why?

  1. Labour shortage: Many men had been killed in war or had moved to towns, leaving farm work to be carried out mainly by women, children and the elderly.
  2. Not enough machinery on farms due to wartime destruction. Horses had died in large numbers, women had to plough themselves.
  3. Peasants had little reason to work hard as their wages were still very low. (1/6 of the average factory worker in 1953)
  4. State put little money into improving agriculture.