While Russian agricultural productivity lagged significantly behind western countries, government policies (both soviet and imperial) were arguably the most si

While Russian agricultural productivity lagged significantly behind western countries, government policies (both soviet and imperial) were arguably the most significant cause of all peace time famines in the Russian Empire/USSR that occurred since the mid/late 19th century. Before 1913 main reason behind regional famines in Russia (excluding war time) was poor infrastructure and no efficient mechanism for redistributing grain (and the imperial government's unwillingness to establish one). Russian net exports of grain remained positive during the 1891–92, 1901 & 1906 famines. This (at least according to the death count) only got worse after the revolution. Agricultural production levels in 1930's weren't that much higher than they were in 1913 (grain production was much higher in all years besides 1936, however livestock production remained mostly at similar levels or even fell). However again, even taking into account the poor productivity exacerbated by the poor harvests the Soviet Union remained a next exporter of grain in all years between 1930 and 1933 (in 1932 and 1933 around 50% of all exports were from Ukrainian ports). During the same period at least 2 million people (up to 10 million according to higher estimates) died as a results of the famine. Considering this I don't really see how could anyone seriously blame the weather...