Battle for Grain

Benito Mussolini propaganda photo for the Battle for Grain

The Battle for Grain (Italian: Battaglia del grano), also known as the Battle for Wheat, was a propaganda campaign launched in 1925 during the fascist regime of Italy by Benito Mussolini, with the aim of gaining self-sufficiency in wheat production and freeing Italy from the "slavery of foreign bread". This campaign was successful in increasing wheat output and lowering the trade deficit, but was ultimately economically counter-productive for Italy's agricultural sector as farmers who grew other produce had to clear their land for grain cultivation which decreased exports. This resulted in higher food prices which placed Italian families under financial strain.

Aims

Some of the policy's aims included:

• Boost grain production to make Italy self-sufficient in wheat
• Reduce the trade balance deficit
• Reduce the need of importing bread
• Project Italy as a major European power

See also

• Battle of the Lira
• Battle for Births
• Battle for Land
• Sbracciantizzazione
• Economy of Fascist Italy

Sources

• Celli, Carlo. 2013. Economic Fascism: Primary Sources on Mussolini's Crony Capitalism. Axios Press.
• Fascist Italy by John Hite
• Mussolini by Denis Mack Smith

External links

• History Learning Site