Dynamics of Agrarian Lands of the Republic of Tyva (Russia) in 1890–2019

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of changes of croplands dynamics of the Republic of Tyva during traditional, Soviet, crisis and post-crisis periods. It is shown that despite the fact that the leading branch of agriculture of the Tyva People’s Republic (TPR) was animal husbandry, crop production developed no less dynamically, and crop area in 1944 increased by 4.3 times over 17 years. During the period of the Tuva Autonomous region (TAR), crop area increased significantly, so in comparison with 1945, by 1960, the area of grain crops increased more than three times, amounting to 279.8 thousand hectares, including wheat – 193.6 thousand ha, barley – 21.7 thousand ha, oats – 34.7 thousand has, millet – 27.1 thousand ha. The crop area of the feeding grounds has increased by an order of magnitude. The acreage of vegetable and melon crops, including potatoes, has significantly increased. But the unjustified plowing of virgin and fallow lands in the 50s and 60s of the twentieth century led to soil erosion and destruction, and the loss of more than a million hectares of agricultural land. During the period of the Tuva ASSR, there is a further increase in crop area. The largest area of grain crops was observed in 1980, when there were 370 thousand hectares in the Republic. At the same time, the Central zone accounts for about 2/3 of the crop area of grain crops, the Western zone – 20%, the Southern zone – 5%, and the Eastern zone – only 1%. With the beginning of market reforms, there is a decrease in the crop area of grain crops. Lack of state support, violation of economic relations, price disparity, lack of tax incentives and preferential loans, and other market and non-market reasons led to the ruin of large farms in the Agro-Industrial Complex (AIC), which accounted for more than 99% of agricultural products. The crop area of grain crops in 2000 compared to 1980 decreased by 8.4 times, wheat by 6.7 times, and fodder crops by 11 times. At present, there is again a slight increase in croplands.