Letters: Farmers cause

‘Playing with fire in Orissa’s farmland, November 13, 2008 was an interesting piece. We must acknowledge that agriculture in small land holdings is turning out to be unremunerative and any step that improves the income of the farmer should be welcomed. We should not bother whether the farmer is growing millet or Bt cotton. Looking at fragmentation of land holdings, contract farming (whereby the contractor gets anything produced and ensures reasonable and remunerative prices to the farmers), must be encouraged.

Everyone knows the adverse effect of automobile emissions on our eco-system but the production of vehicles is increasing unmindful of the consequences. Similarly, we must not demonise genetically modified crops and must stop hectoring and lecturing farmers about the environmental impact of genetically modified crops which are, in any case, also mired in controversies. The cultivation of Bt cotton is growing by leaps and bounds and earlier fears expressed have turned out to be highly exaggerated. While we must allow farmers to grow whatever they deem appropriate, we should be equally alert to see that farmers are not sold seeds and products of doubtful value.

M M Gurbaxani, Bangalore