1.
GV PAN Grain field, to harvesters working by hand.
0.08

2.
GV Harvesting team at work ( 2 shots)
0.24

3.
GV Crane lifting crop onto stack
0.32

4.
GV & SV Combine harvesters at work (4 shots)
0.54

5.
CU and SV Grain poster hanging by subway in town.
1.05

6.
TGV Stadium in town of Olsztyn.
1.07

7.
CU People applauding during Harvest festival(2 shots)
1.12

8.
GV First Secretary Edvard Gierek standing and acknowledging applause
1.17

9.
TGV Dancers celebrate harvest ( 2 shots)
1.36

10.
SV and CU Mr.Gierek walking up to receive ceremonial loaf of bread and coins ( 3 shots)
1.58

11.
CU People in harvest costume (4 shots)
2.08

12.
SV Children presenting harvest gifts to official.
2.24



Initials CO/15.30



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Poland, farmers have begun to harvest the 1978 crops, hoping to improve on last year's yields, which were reasonable after several wretched seasons.

SYNOPSIS: This farm, near Olsztyn,still worked by hand, as are many of the country's as are many of the country's three million private farms. About five million of Poland's three million private farms. About five million of Poland's total workforce of seventeen million are on the land. Of these, four million work tiny private farms, and the remainder are employees on farms run by co-operatives of the State.

They want rain to hold off during harvesting. This year's crop got off to a bad start twelve months ago when bad weather prevented farmers from sowing all arable grain fields. So they had to sow again last spring. And then, ironically, some areas were hit by drought in the summer. However, they sowed more than eight million hectares (19.7 million acres) of land -- one hundred and fifty hectares (370,600 acres) above the year before.

The harvest festival was heralded in Olsztyn, which is the capital of Olsztyn province in north-eastern Poland. Townsfolk and farmers from surrounding areas came to join in festivities, which were centred in the local stadium. Among guests was the first secretary of the Polish Communist Party, Mr Edvard Gierek.

Dancers and watchers all look forward to a good harvest bringing more meat onto their dinner tables. Seventy percent of Polish grain goes to fatten animals for meat, while the remaining thirty percent is for human consumption. Poor harvests between 1975 and 1977 reduced the meat supplies by two and a half million pigs and four hundred thousands head of cattle. Poland had to import more cereals, fodder and other foodstuffs, including meat and animal facts. This hit at the country's balance of payments.

To counter the effects of these bad harvests, investment in agriculture has been boosted by forty-two percent, pushing it almost twenty percent above the original figure on the current five-year plan. Much of the money was spent on building new fertiliser complexes and agricultural machinery plants, and speeding-up deliveries to farms.