Use of crop rotations in agriculture in Kuzbass in the 1970s

The paper examined the historical experience of introducing crop rotations in agriculture and the problems of developing field crop production in the Kemerovo Region during the ninth (1971–1975) and tenth (1976–1980) five-year plans. Using archival documents and regional statistics, the author substantiates the fact that the grain industry of Kuzbass experienced difficulties during the historical period under review. The yield of grain crops steadily declined over the decade. If in 1966–1970 it was 14 c/ha, then in the first half of the 1970s it fell to 13, and in the second half it decreased to 12.3 c/ha. Gross harvests in collective and state farms of the region decreased from 1,343.2 thousand to 1,270 thousand and 1,155 thousand tons, respectively. State purchases in grain production in Kuzbass have decreased by half over the decade. One of the measures aimed at increasing the yield and increasing the harvest of grain crops was the introduction of progressive agricultural technologies, including crop rotations. However, the crop rotations developed in the region in the 1970s were fully implemented with high quality only in a small number of collective and state farms. Agricultural enterprises of Kuzbass did not use crop rotations on 14% of arable land included in crop rotations. The use of new agricultural technologies in the region was not given due attention. Collective and state farms did not keep mandatory crop rotation registration logs. In many areas, deviation from the project structure of sown areas led to a violation of crop rotation. This caused the spread of weeds, diseases and pests and a decrease in yield. Because of this, gross harvests decreased and the profitability of the industry decreased. Farms suffered economic losses. Low labor motivation of employees of agricultural enterprises caused a careless attitude to equipment, led to the improper use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, and non-observance of labor and technological discipline. Agricultural enterprises constantly violated the recommended rules and technologies. Correct crop rotations were introduced and mastered in a small number of state and collective farms. A number of agricultural enterprises, having introduced crop rotations, stopped observing them after a certain time and abandoned them. As a result, it was not possible to achieve a significant increase in field cultivation.