During the recent years, the introduction of chemical methods in agriculture has upset the indigenous system of cotton cultivation. Traditional crop rotational methods and the judicious use of organic fertilizers and water have been abandoned. The farmer, in a quest for ever-increasing profit, has resorted to the use of hybrids which demand ever-increasing dosages of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This has resulted in not only increasing the inputs costs but also caused the poisoning of the soil and water. While on one hand the farmer is subject to impoverishment and indebtedness due to the ever increasing demand of supplying these chemicals to a rapidly depleting soil, he and his family is also being slowly poisoned. Recent research has revealed that most of the pesticides used are ineffective against the pests but result in mind-baffling variety of carcinoma in the humans who are exposed to them.

The use of chemical agents has decimated the beneficial fauna like the earthworm and compacted the soil. Unlike in earlier days of cotton cultivation, the compacted soil needs to be tilled time and again for ensuring effective rooting of saplings. Again in chemical agriculture, the need to replenish the soil by the constant addition of nutrients and the heavy dependence on the use of synthetic pesticides for maintaining the health of the vegetation makes the operation unviable. Another disadvantage of relying on the chemical route is the necessity of having to use more water to irrigate the soil. This assumes critical importance when it is viewed that nearly 80% of India is dependent on rainfed agriculture and the people practicing it are desperately poor.

In this context, the most viable option for the impoverished farmers will be the adoption of organic farming practices in the cultivation of local races of cotton. It is important to note here that these cottons are hardy in nature, have a high resistance to pests and climatic conditions, besides needing less water. Under optimum conditions, the yield of the organic cotton equals that of conventional cotton while the cost of cultivation is halved. These varieties help the local farmers to ensure reasonable earnings while maintaining a good soil health. The fact that organically grown cotton is produced in a limited way makes it eminently suitable for the production of craft textiles involving hand spinning and weaving. These conditions result in creating an environment where it becomes possible to provide employment to rural artisans at their door steps without their having to resort to seasonal migration in search of wage earning opportunities. Thus, the introduction of organic cotton is beneficial not only to the environment but also to the physical well-being of the people dependent on it for sustainable livelihoods.

Economics of Organic Cotton

The productivity of the organic coloured cotton per acre will be of the order of 300 kgs at the lower end. With the use of bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides and efficient soil and water management, the yield could be more than doubled. The cotton’s value lies not merely in its end product but also in processing it into a yard and later, weaving it into cloth. Even from a low yield of 300 kgs of 'kapas' or seed cotton one can generate 30 per cent lint by ginning. Out of the 100 kgs of lint produced, 70 per cent can be spun by hand to produce the yard. Thus, from an acre of land one can produce 100 kgs of lint and 200 kgs of seeds. By selling lint at Rs 50 per kg and seeds at Rs 30 per kg, a marginal farmer could 

earn upto Rs 11,000 a season. The lint can be spun to yield about 70 kgs cotton yarn which is valued at Rs. 200 a kg. From each kg of yarn, 15 meters of shirting material can be woven and the fabric can be sold at Rs 80 a meter which means that every kilogram of cotton will have a value addition of Rs 1200 from an initial amount of Rs 200.

Unlike other commercial crops like mulberry and coconut, cotton crops can be grown with low inputs of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Since the villages are mostly dependent on rain fed cultivation and have a large number of small and marginal farmers, cultivation of organic coloured cottons is a viable option. Spinning and weaving being integral parts of this project, it will have a positive impact not only on local farmers but will also provide employment to marginalised people like landless labourers and women.

With suitable organic practices, an acre of land can produce 5-6 quintals of organic cotton which fetches the farmers Rs 18,000 to Rs 22,000, besides 2100 meters of fabric totally valued at Rs 168,000. Since the spinning and weaving are non-farm activities, they would absorb the excess labour and take the pressure off the land. This would help in reducing local conflicts as the dependence of the people on common resources like water and community lands would reduce.

DA, Bangalore, now intends to start a pilot project in which these economics are studied in detail and a comprehensive system comprising of cultivation, spinning and weaving of organic cotton be designed and put in place. By this study, new trails can be blazed in creation of sustenance for the rural folk. q