Yeah, not sure what to make of that. Apparently this is a reference to the black earth belt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernozem). The article isn't particularly well written. Why only the Chernozem belt can be farmed (short term climate conditions maybe?)? What kind of mismanagement USSR exhibited that led to massive grain shortage on their end?
Really? I though that, until the mid-century at least, the vast majority of the population of the USSR were farmers.
I mean, ok, of course they grey other things as well, but still - that sounds strange.