How did the Soviet Union manage to feed itself?

 (My answer on Quora)

When it was not encumbered by collectivist mismanagement, poor planning, bad harvests and deliberate forced famines it is important to remember the Soviet Union was one of the biggest wheat producers on the planet. Shortfalls in 1971 and 1972 forced the Soviets to import grains from elsewhere .

The US in fact supplied them with subsidized wheat and corn in 1973. At the time the Americans were under the impression that the purchases would go toward the Soviet livestock feed (in reality the Soviet Union was facing a huge wheat shortfall) that they tried to keep secret for propaganda reasons (well done Central planning…).

Later on it was discovered that Global wheat stocks were low and by subsidizing the Soviet purchases the price of domestic food in the US skyrocketed. The entire debacle was described by Scoop Jackson as the Great Grain Robbery.