Food production in Russia

Anyone who believes that private ownership of land is the answer to Russia's agricultural problem should take a look at South America. There, 3 percent of the population control about 90 percent of the land. It is difficult to say where people are better served: under communism on collective farms or under the peonage of large farms in South America.During the transition to democracy, leasing of land, rather than private ownership, will protect the Russian people from having their land bought by outsiders. It would be tragic if Russians were freed from the slavery of communism only to come under the domination of foreign landowners. Clarissa Smith, Renton, Wash.

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