The deportation of the Kulaks to Siberia (1930-1932) had a severe impact on food production. The Soviet Famine of 1932-1933 resulted in part from the destruction of the Kulaks as a class.

Kulak was a term which referred to ‘prosperous’ peasant farmers who owned 8 acres of land or more. Deemed to be an enemy class by the Bolsheviks, who favored agricultural collective farming schemes, they were targeted for deportation to labor camps across Siberia beginning in 1930. Those who resisted were shot. Millions were relocated and/or killed in the process. The Kulaks did not go quietly though. Resistance efforts included the intentional sabotage of agricultural equipment, produce and livestock. This further strained the food supply.

The agricultural collectives which replaced them underperformed. Deindustrialized agriculture run by state collectives was not able to produce as much as the previous system they replaced. Interestingly, not hitting quotas set by the new system was punishable by death, deportation, and/or being branded an enemy of the people or saboteur. So reports indicating quotas were hit when in fact many had not been, began making their way up the ladder to the central committee. Food distribution decisions were made on some seriously fudged numbers.

As a result, some Soviet republics and territories were left with a severe shortage of food. Restrictions on travel put in place by the Soviet government prevented migration from food scarce areas to areas with a surplus. Even within Soviet republics, movement between urban centers and the countryside was heavily restricted. This exacerbated the shortage problem, and led to mass starvation in the worst affected areas.

As to why, some have theorized it was a part of a deliberate attempt to demographically decimate ethnic and religious groups in the stricken areas. Ukraine and southern Russia were hard hit, and estimates on famine deaths range from 3 to 8 million.