In the first decades of independence, efforts were made to achieve food self-sufficiency in Kuusamo. This was forced by the fact that especially grain had been brought to Kuusamo from Russia before independence, and it was no longer available after the border was closed. The Oulu County Economic Society with its network of advisers and the farmers’ societies operating in the village councils under its leadership encouraged farmers to develop agriculture. However, no significant results were achieved in grain production. Many farms were more successful in growing onions, which developed into a kind of hallmark of Kuusamo.
There was a significant change in the conditions of land ownership when the landless smallholders got 120 hectares of farms from state lands on favorable terms. This made it possible to clear farmland and, under certain conditions, also cut down forests. On the other hand, it was still difficult to carry out forest sales on the old mantal farms due to the delay in the Great Partition and the long transport distances.
The closing of the eastern border greatly damaged other businesses as well. The reindeer owners had the best grazing lands on the Russian side, the merchants had the market areas, the lumber companies had the cheapest floating routes and harbours. It was difficult to replace the loss with the direction of Oulu, which now rose to the most important position in Kuusamo’s business life. Getting a railway to Kuusamo was a big project of the era. It was mainly driven by Kaarlo Hänninen, who served as a member of parliament for the people of Kuusamo. However, the project went unrealized.