Background
Larionov, A. was born in 1919.
Larionov, A. was born in 1919.
When Khrushchev proclaimed his aim to overtake the USA in meat and milk production in January
1959, Larionov promised to double meat production during the next year. This pledge was highly publicized as an example to others. An extraordinary scene ensued—practically every animal in the Riazan’ oblast’ was confiscated and slaughtered.
Buyers were sent all over the country to buy up meat, and workers had to use their wages to purchase meat for the state since taxes were taken only in that commodity. At the end of the year, it was announced that meat production in Riazan’ oblast’ had quadrupled. An immense propaganda campaign followed.
He was awarded the Order of Lenin and the title Hero of Socialist Labour. The next year, agriculture in Riazan’ oblast’ suffered a complete collapse. On the eve of a plenary session of the Riazan’ party obkom at the end of
1960, he shot himself in his office.
The story earned the name of ‘the great Riazan’ fiasco’.