Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
a whole,” he said. “We should import stuff from America, and vice versa.
No one in Kerala wants to eat all this pepper that we're growing, so what
are farmers to do? W hereas if they export, at least they get a premium.”
His comments echoed other opinions I heard justifying export: that
Kerala's farmers should think of the world holistically, especially given
the state's extended history of maritime and Silk Road trading. Chacko-
chan expounded on that point: local farmers had been cultivating several
of these spices, like pepper, for centuries, and had been trading them for
centuries as well, since one could only sell and eat so much black pep-
per within Kerala itself. For certified organic producers like him, export
represented a method for sustaining the livelihoods of farmers who had
grown various spices and cash crops for generations.
Furthermore, Chackochan and other certified organic farmers repudi-
ated the claim that organic farmers fixated only on cash and on making
a profit. To demonstrate otherwise, they often took me on tours of their
farms to showcase their vegetable and tuber plots—some of which were
being intercropped with the cash crops. Indeed, many certified organic
farmers are currently cultivating both cash crops for export and staple
crops such as vegetables (fig. 5). And many are keen on becoming con-
nected with local markets in addition to ones abroad. Chackochan him-
self was investigating the possibility of starting a CSA with urban consum-
ers in the city of Kozhikode. Another farmer with whom I spent time in
Kollam District had utilized the extra revenue from his certified organic
cash crops to invest in a marketing van, which he is currently using to
transport and sell organic vegetables and fruits directly to urban consum-
ers in southern Kerala.
Additionally, although Chackochan and other certified organic farm-
ers have welcomed government support and subsidies for organic farm-
ing, they claimed not to appreciate being told what and how to farm—
especially by the LDF government. Many preferred policy makers to take
a laissez-faire approach to agriculture. I asked several certified organic
farmers why they had such disdain for the state government. Said one, ac-
rimoniously: “Agriculture officers often want bribes from me. I'm not part
of a party because the government is all the same, like cobras, even [LDF
Chief Minister] Achuthanandan.” This farmer deemed the government
