AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

CO-OPERATIVE FARMING

FOR STEPPING UP AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION and for ensuring economic cultivation, an increase in the unit of cultivation is necessary. Here co-operative farming has direct relevance. Co-operative farming necessarily implies pooling of land and joint management. Without under-mining the sense of proprietorship and the incentive to industry that it gives, co-operative farms can produce all the advantages that a larger unit possesses.

There was only one co-operative farming society in former Kolhapur State when it was merged in the Bombay State and the Kolhapur district constituted. Twelve more societies have been organised under the Co-operative Farming Scheme started in 1949 in the State.

There are four kinds of co-operative farming societies and the description of each is given below:-

(i) Co-operative Collective Farming.-The society itself cultivates the land which it owns or takes on lease. No dividend is paid on the share capital. Members get wages for their work and in the case of profits a bonus is paid in proportion to their wages. Members have the option to withdraw from such a society, in which case they get back their capital. There were nine co-operative farming societies in the district.

(ii) Co-operative Tenant Farming.-The co-operative tenant farming society owns land or gets it on lease, but farming is not carried on by itself. Land is divided into blocks and each block is given on rent to a cultivator who has to produce according to the plan laid down by the society. The society gives its members all facilities regarding seed, finance and implements; There were three societies of this type.

(iii) Co-operative Better Farming.-The ownership and management of land rests with the individual; the society provides better seeds, manures and facilities for irrigation storage and marketing. There was only one better farming society (at Mhaswe). It has been registered only recently. It proposes to make available irrigation facilities to its members.

(iv) Co-operative Joint Farming.-To enjoy the advantages of large-scale farming and solve the problem of sub-division and fragmentation of holdings, this kind of farming is most suited. The land of small owners is pooled into one unit though proprietorship rests with individual members. No such, society has been registered so far.

Most of the societies have been organised on Government waste lands; eight societies belonged to backward class persons (who are mainly landless agriculturists), two to both backward and non-backward class persons and one each to dhangar community, displaced persons and non-backward class persons.

The following statement shows particulars in respect of farming societies in Kolhapur district:-

TABLE No. 15.

FARMING SOCIETIES IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT.

TOP