Kazakhstan to Correct False Harvests That Echo Soviet-Era Deceit.

Regional officials in Kazakhstan exaggerated the country's grain harvest by up to 3 million tons last year, reminiscent of Soviet-era misinformation. The figures, including 2.1 million tons of wheat, were falsified by regional heads in order to gain favor with the country's leadership. The government now aims to correct these figures as they distort the strengths and weaknesses of the agricultural sector and misallocate subsidies. The overestimation of wheat production means that yields were actually lower than reported, and other crops such as milk, potatoes, and cattle herds will also need to be revised downward. The government plans to crack down on embezzlement and return unused agricultural land to farmers as part of efforts to boost the economy. [Extracted from the article]