In 1955, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev launched the so-called “Corn Campaign,” aimed at replacing wheat with corn wherever possible. This was a peculiar form of “cargo cult” thinking, modeled after the agricultural practices of the United States, where corn—known for its theoretically lower cultivation costs—plays a major role. However, in the Soviet Union, neither the soil, nor the climate, nor the agricultural traditions were conducive to large-scale corn production. Khrushchev’s initiative ultimately caused significant harm to the Soviet economy.
This story came to mind when I heard Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, suggest replacing wheat with rice. The rationale was that wheat is a strategic commodity, and Armenia’s dependence on Russian wheat is a vulnerability, while rice is not. But is this truly the case?
In 2023, Armenia imported 396.4 thousand tons of grain, of which 292.8 thousand tons were wheat. Almost 100% of these imports came from Russia, covering about 75% of our total grain needs. This means we produce only 25% of our own wheat, making us significantly reliant on imports.
Now, how dependent are we on rice imports? Almost entirely—close to 100%—since rice is not produced on an industrial scale in Armenia due to the same unfavorable soil and climate conditions. This makes rice, arguably, an even “more strategic” product for us. Last year, Armenia imported 18 thousand tons of rice from India, Kazakhstan, and Russia. And let’s be realistic: rice cakes are unlikely to replace traditional Armenian bread anytime soon.
As O. Henry once wrote, “Sand is a poor substitute for oats.” His character chose a cynical outlook as a result, but I am not advocating cynicism here. Rather, I am suggesting that a more realistic approach be taken in matters of national security.
Aram Abrahamyan
