the Economic Products of India.
Panjab & the Central Provinces.
5
PAPAVER
somniferum.
CULTIVATION
3,500 acres, the produce of which, at an average of six seers per acre,
amounts to 525 maunds. Even reducing this by a fourth to allow for loss
in drying, we have still the large quantity of 394 maunds, which, at ten
rupees a seer represent no less a sum than R1,57,500. Careful enquiry
has shown that, of the produce of the district, all but a few maunds leave
it, the destination of by far the greater part being the great Sikh centres
of Lahore and Amritsar" (Panjab Gazetteer, pp. 65 & 66).
VI.—CENTRAL PROVINCES.
Formerly poppy cultivation appears to have been fairly abundant in
these provinces. Some few years ago it was prohibited, but the following
passage from one of the Settlement Reports conveys an idea of the system
of culture which was pursued and the methods of extracting the crude
drug and of disposing of the same to the dealers:—
" Opium cultivation is chiefly pursued in the Mooltye pergunnah. It
can be grown upon almost any soil by means of manure, but generally the
kharee land near the villages is preferred. The land is prepared in much
the same way as sugarcane, only that less ploughing is required. Similarly,
the ground is divided into little beds in which the seed is sown broadcast.
The sowing generally begins in November. In about ten days it
s p r i n g s u p a n d s o o n a f t e r w a r d s i s w e e d e d a n d t h i n n e d o u t . E a c h p a r t o f t h e
field is watered once in about four or five days and weeding is again r
e - q u i r e d i n t h e i n t e r v a l s ; i n F e b r u a r y t h e p l a n t f l o w e r s , a n d w h e n t h e p o d s
are fully formed, irrigation is stopped for about a fortnight when the plant
is supposed to be ripe. Small incisions are then made in the pods, and the
juice that exudes is collected the day following. This operation is repeat
-ed three times, when the whole of the juice is supposed to be extracted.
It is deposited in earthen vessels and is called chik by the people; it is
exported in this state to Indore, where it is manufactured into opium and
mixed with that of Malwa which is a superior article.
"The whole almost of the ' chik' produced in the district is bought
up by Mahajuns in Mooltye who export it on bullocks.
"Much opium is grown under the system of lawanee, as it is termed, by
which the cultivator receives an advance of money from the Mahajun
and binds himself to deliver his produce to him in payment at a certain
rate. The Mahajun of course derives a large profit on this transaction,
and I am happy to say that the system is going out owing to the growth
of intelligence and capital among the cultivating classes.
"I append an index of the cost of production and profits of an opium
field of from two to three acres:—
CENTRAL
PROVINCES.
Expenses.
R
Seed . . .
1
Wages of 2 men for 4 months
. . .
24
Leathern bag for well . . .
5
Repairs, &c.
. . .
1
Weeding four times . . .
8
Hire of bullocks for 4 months
. . .
25
Rent of land
. . .
4
TOTAL
68
Produce.
R
20 seers chik at R7½*
. . .
82
"
Over and above, however, the raw juice there is produce —khushkhus
oil, manooa, and poppy seed, worth not less than R10, and in the same
This appears to be a misprint.— Ed .
E 2