The Projec

Indian Cotton Idustry- A Fact File • In India, cotton is grown in 22 million acres of land which is 20% of the cotton growing area in the world. •  Cotton production in India is ranked third in the world after USA and China. It accounts for 12% of the global production. •  Yield per acre in India is low: 350-400 kgs /acre. •  About 60 million people are currently employed in the cotton textile industry.. •  Indian textile industry contributes to 33% of the total export revenue. •  45% of the textiles manufactured in the industry are cotton. •  Total farm area used for cultivating cotton is only 5% but 54% of the pesticides are used in cotton farming. •  India accounts for 10% of global consumption of pesticides. •  50000 tons of pesticides and 16500 tons of fertilizers are consumed every year. This is the average annual consumption based on past 7 years' usage. Pesticide sale in India is USD 2.6 billion.

Farmers & Chemical Farming
•  A farmer spends 28% of his gross income on pesticides, 15% on fertilizers, 5% on seeds, 12% on labour. Remaining 40% is farmer's net income.
•  Crop failure rate is as high as 50-60%


Consequences

Suicides
•  Farmers owe huge sums of money to money lenders and pesticide sellers.
•  Farmers are unable to liquidate their debts and commit suicide. On an average, one farmer commits suicide everyday somewhere in India.

Soil
•  Soil condition is deteriorating and per acre yields are getting lower and lower.


Health
Health risks posed by employing chemical farming methods are alarming. The most severely hit are farmers themeselves due to following reasons:
•  Pesticides are often kept exposed in the seating/sleeping areas at home.
•  Farmers clean empty containers in rivers and ponds.
•  Most of the farmers are not aware of the use of protective clothing while spraying.
•  Cloths worn during spraying are often washed at home, and kept with the other cloths.
•  Empty pesticide containers are used for storing food grains and water.
•  Fruits & vegetables are consumed directly from the fields.
•  Use of untreated water
•  Medical practitioners in most villages are not trained to treat poisoning that resulys from the pesticides. People lose their lives in the absence of timely and adequate treatment.