Chapter 23 7.2 Suggestions to import grain

To break the illusory halo of grain "satellites", Chen Yun suggested importing grain. After verifying the food situation, Chen Yun saw hope.But how to overcome the current difficulties?This is not an easy task. , Emergency letters from all over the country flew to Zhongnanhai like snowflakes, and the leaders of the republic were restless and unwilling to eat.The reality is cruel. They fell from a dreamy paradise where there seemed to be too much food to handle, to a hell on earth where famine was everywhere, and they were not much mentally prepared.In order to balance the surplus and shortage of grain among regions and ensure the supply of grain in urban and rural areas, it is very important to strengthen the unified dispatch of grain.During this period, the task of grain distribution and transportation was very heavy. The central government decided to establish a central grain, oil and cotton transportation headquarters, with Li Xiannian in charge.Due to the severe shortage of food, it even happened that one area was out of stock and asked the central government for an emergency. The central government diverted a train of grain that was originally scheduled to be distributed to another area and urgently transferred it to the out-of-stock area.At that time, the seasonal adjustments of "early benefiting the late" and "using the late to benefit the early" were carried out, that is, every summer and autumn, the wheat, barley, and early rice harvested earlier in the south were first transported to the Northeast to help the Northeast before the autumn grain debut. The market supply, and then, in the winter and spring, the late-maturing grain in the Northeast is transferred back to the food-deficient areas in the customs to survive the spring famine.This practice of digging the east wall to make up for the west wall was a last resort at the time, and it played a positive role in ensuring military supplies and food for the people.

Grain is getting less and less, and adjustments come and go, and even the original main grain-producing areas are beginning to be in a hurry.The central government tried to find ways to find food everywhere, and even reached the so-called "dead corner grain" in remote areas.There is a shortage of food everywhere, and there is no way to adjust the surplus.The crisis forced the central government to think beyond food. In September 1960, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued an instruction calling for "lower standards, substitute melons and vegetables", lowering the standard of rations, and promoting melons and vegetables, and substitute food.At that time, it was suggested by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the food substitutes recommended by the central government included corn root powder, wheat root powder, corn stalk koji powder, acorn flour, leaf protein, artificial meat essence, chlorella, etc.In order to do this well, the central government set up a leading group and set up a special office, and asked all regions to also set up a leading group and office to be responsible for the specific guidance of this movement.

How can ordinary people survive on these alone?By the end of 1960, food shortages intensified, and edema disease appeared on a large scale and spread rapidly.It is estimated that the food situation will be even more serious when the next year's spring is short of harvest.Zhou Enlai, Chen Yun and other leaders of the State Council have repeatedly studied the solution. Obviously, the domestic food potential has been tapped to the end, and there is not much to do.Seeing the people in such a miserable situation, Chen Yun was extremely sad. In the first ten days of December 1960, Chen Yun had a conversation with Chen Guodong, Minister of the Ministry of Grain, based on the actual situation he learned from his investigations in various places, and proposed to squeeze out some foreign exchange and import grain to ease the shortage of food supply!

After confirming the import of grain, Chen Yun, together with Zhou Enlai, discussed the quantity of imported grain many times with the heads of grain and foreign trade departments.Under the personal leadership of Zhou Enlai, Chen Yun, Li Xiannian and others, in less than two months, in February 1961, the first shipment of grain imported by the Ministry of Foreign Trade from Australia arrived at Tianjin Port.Chen Yun is very concerned about the transportation of imported grain. From February 7th to 11th, Chen Yun went to Tianjin, specifically to Tanggu Port, to investigate the unloading and transportation of imported grain on the spot.

Although a large amount of food was imported, the contradiction of food shortage was still very acute.Chen Yun was still thinking of other emergency measures. On February 26, 1962, Chen Yun delivered a speech at a meeting of party members of various ministries and commissions of the State Council, and proposed to achieve 3 catties of soybeans per person per month in cities in several steps.He calculated an account: 100 million urban population, implementing this method, needs 3 billion catties of soybeans every year. The annual soybean output in our country was about 19 billion catties before 1958, and it was 12 billion catties in the past two years. It is possible to supply cities with 100 million catties.We should aim to achieve this gradually over two years.The first step can be implemented in large and medium-sized cities with a population of 60 million.This method can not only ensure the health of urban people, but also raise the real wages of workers a little.With beans to eat, or to eat instead of tofu, you can not buy or buy less expensive non-staple food on the free market.According to calculations, each person needs at least 70 grams of protein per day, 1 catty of grain contains about 45 grams of protein, 1 catty of vegetables contains 5 grams, and 1 tael of soybeans contains 20 grams.In the absence of meat and eggs, it is a more reliable way to supplement nutrition with soybeans.

On March 7, 1962, in his speech at the meeting of the Central Finance and Economics Group, Chen Yun proposed to add some fishing boats and fishing nets to the fishery department to increase the amount of fish caught and to increase animal protein for the masses.He said: The supply of main and non-staple food in the city is insufficient now, and the people's health is declining.Can you make some steel, build some motor sailing boats, add some fishing nets, and let the fishery department go out to sea to catch more fish?If the fish production is increased by 150,000 tons a year, more than 60 million people in large and medium-sized cities can eat half a catty of fish per person per month on average.Half a catty of fish per person, and some high-end restaurants, if you have money, you can eat. ...The indicators and measures to increase fish production must be included in the annual plan starting from this year.This problem can be solved as long as it is properly arranged.

Zhou Enlai immediately agreed with this idea.He interjected and said: Comrade Chen Yun's idea of ​​supplying one or two beans per person per day is very good.But human nutrition is not enough to have plant protein, but also animal protein.Monks and nuns, meditate every day, and plant protein may be enough.Those of us can't do it, and those who have a greater labor load than us can't do it. With plant protein, we need some animal protein. Chen Yun also proposed that in addition to half a catty of fish per person, by the end of next year, more than 60 million people in large and medium-sized cities should find ways to increase the supply of half a catty of meat per person per month.He also came up with this method on the basis of full investigation and research.He once heard from Yao Yilin that in 1962, the commercial department planned to purchase 12 million pigs, each of which was calculated as 60 catties of clean meat, totaling more than 700 million catties.Except for export and other necessary protection purposes, the average person can have 6 catties per year.It is necessary to ensure that the pigs are purchased, and after the purchase, they must be distributed reasonably, such as reducing part of the export.

Chen Yun has calculated that through these methods, a family of 5 will have 5 catties of fish and meat in one month, which can play a great role in improving nutrition.Chen Yun took this very seriously.He warned everyone: At present, such a problem is a major national event.If the health of more than 60 million people is not good, and we don't try to find a solution, the masses will have opinions.The people want to see whether the Communist Party really cares about them, and whether they can solve their daily problems.This is a political issue. The emergency measures Chen Yun came up with ensured the basic nutritional needs of the masses and saved a large number of lives from the death line.