By the end of 1956 about 96 per cent of the country's farm households
were members of various co-operatives, among which advanced cooperatives
numbered 540,000 and their members accounted for 88 per
cent of total farm households. This rapid progress after 1955 shortened
the period of collectivisation from the planned fifteen years to less than
five years. Not only did almost all farm households join co-operatives,
but the size of each co-operative also became larger. The size of an
advanced co-operative, for instance, was initially about 30 households
but increased to encompass all households in a village - from 150 to 200
(table 2.2).