Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1942, Qupperneq 111

THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
CAMPAIGN IN FINLAND 1941
By Niilo O. Puolakka
of the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture.
THE Second Great War, which broke out in September
1939 and now embraces the whole of Europe, has caused
enormous changes in the economic life of this continent.
Its influence was especially noticeable in the sphere of supply,
for it had been greatly dependent on transoceanic imports. When
mternational commercial transactions were restricted and the
blockade made sea transport difficult, a shortage of food soon
became more or less prevalent in some countries, specially those
for which nearly all the food was imported. Finland must be
included in these. In spite of the rapid development of agri-
cultural production, particularly after having gained our in-
dependence, we had not become self-sufficing. In the production
year 1938—39 the degree of our national self-sufficiency in food
was estimated at 85—90 per cent. owing to the record yield of
x938. This percentage fell in the following year of production
1939—40 because weather conditions were unfavourable in many
parts of the country. During the Finno-Russian war which broke
out in the autumn of 1939 food conditions became considerably
worse. It is well known that the consumption of food is greater
during war-time but the demand during that period could be
satisfied fairly well without recourse to actual rationing.
After the war Finland received two heavy blows; through
íbe peace treaty it lost about a tenth of its productive area by
concessions of land, and its agriculture suffered especially severely
from a bad harvest due to the exceptionally great drought in
many parts of the country in 1940; the fodder crop in particular
was more or less a total failure. Consequently the consumption
Period 1940—41 was difficult. The rationing of provisions intro-
duced for cereals in Spring 1940 and for animal products in
Autumn 1940 had to be extended and the rationing was more
restricted.
As the war continued and extended, the blockade compelled
Finland to become more and more dependent on home pro-
duction. The promotion of domestic agricultural production has
become the main object of our food policy, and attention was
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