Comment on a Situation Report
(December 20, 1959)

This document (I) is very good. Forward it to the Party committees of all provinces, municipalities, and regions, as well as all prefectural Party committees, for reference. It may be published in Party periodicals.

Central Committee
December 20, 1959
[1]

This report, submitted by the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China to the Central Committee and Mao Zedong on December 14, 1959, states:

From November 16 to 22, we convened a citywide work conference on pig raising. In accordance with the Chairman’s directive on developing animal husbandry, we delivered a mobilization report and extensively exchanged advanced experiences in pig raising created by the masses. The conference focused on resolving the following ideological issues: (1) Is pig raising worthwhile or not? After accounting, everyone agreed that pig raising is always worthwhile. (2) With so many pigs being raised, where will the feed come from? The conclusion was to rely mainly on green and coarse fodder. (3) What to do about the shortage of materials for building pigsties? The answer is to rely on the masses to use local materials and adapt measures to local conditions. (4) Two methods to solve the labor problem in pig raising: first, rationally arrange the ratio of labor between agriculture and animal husbandry; second, vigorously carry out tool reform. (5) The conference also criticized some erroneous views. (6) Publicize that pig raising is glorious. After repeated discussions, the Municipal Committee finally determined a comprehensive plan for developing animal husbandry with pigs as the main focus in the suburban rural areas next year, and conducted specific discussions and arrangements on important issues that must be attended to, such as breeding stock, feed, pigsties, tool reform, disease prevention and epidemic control, breeders, incentives, and leadership.

Sent to Comrade Peng Zhen[2] for consideration and handling.
Mao

[1]
Peng Zhen, then a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.
[2]
On December 21, 1959, the CPC Central Committee approved and forwarded the report of the Shanghai Municipal Committee.