Gazetteer of the Mooltan District 1883-4 [Punjab]

· 1884 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1Indigo.

2[Punjab Gazetteor, |

398 CHAP. IV.—PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION.

4over 118 acres; the maximum yield obtained was 24 sers, the

5minimum 5 sers, and the average between 13 and 14 sers per acre.

6Mr. Roe took for his produce-estimates rates of 10, 11, and 12 sers,

7according to the different localities. These are rather low for ordinary

8years. But the profits of indigo cultivation are very precarious; in

9good years they are very large, but the crop is liable to a number of

10accidents. If the canals do not rise early in the season, the plants

11wither, and the crop is lost. On the other hand, if the supply of

12water is excessive, the dye is washed out of the plant, or blight sets in,

13On the whole Mr. Roe considered his rate “ moderate but fair.” The

14price of indigo of course varies according to its quality, which depends

15artly on the land on which it is grown, but chiefly on the care

16stowed on its manufacture. It is generally agreed that the best is

17worth Rs. 60 to 80, or even Rs. 100 per maund, whilst the inferior

18kind is only worth trom Rs. 25 to 50. The average given by the price

19current for the last 20 years is from 10 to 12 chitdts per rupee, or

20Rs. 53 to 64 per maund. The rate adopted for the produce-estimate

21was 14 chitdks per rupee, or Rs, 45 a maund in the inferior, and Rs. 60

22yer maund .in the superior tracts; this was the maximum that could

23be taken as an average price; the prices of Rs. 80 and 100 are only

24given for exceptionally good indigo, and there is probably hardly a

25single holding in the district the whole of whose crop would fetch

26these prices. At Rs. 60 per maund the produce of one acre, putting

27this at 12 sers, would be worth Rs. 18, and at the usual rent rate of

28two-fifths the proprietors’ share would be just over Rs. 7. This would

29point to Rs. 3 as a fair revenue rate per acre, for some little allowance

30must be made for kamin’s dues, &c.

31Cotton also occupies a considerable part of the kharif area, and

32its nomival value is large. But it is grown almost entirely for home

33consumption, and both the rate of yield and the price must be put

34low. Fifty experiments were made extending over 79 acres; the

35maximum yield obtained was 13 maunds, the lowest 1 maund 30 sers,

36the average of the official experiments was 7} maunds, of the

37non-official 3} maunds, and of the two together, 5 maunds 20sers. By

38far the greater part of the cultivation is on well lands which are aided

39by satldb or canals, but a little of it is on simple well lands, and of

40course all the sat/db and well and canal and well lands are not of the

41same quality. The rate of yield accepted for the produce-estimate

42varies from 4 maunds to 54 maunds, The price according to the

43average of 20 years varies from 9 sers 12 chitaks to 12 sers 7 chitdks

44per rupee, or from Rs. 4 to 3 per maund. But this average is raised by

45the high prices which prevailed during the American war, and the rate

46taken was from 13 to 15 sers the rupee, or Rs. 3-1-3 to 2-10-8 per

47maund. |

48Not much rice is grown, and what there isis very inferior. It is

49grown almost entirely in nearly barren waste which will grow nothing

50else, and the whole of it is used for food by the poorer classes,

51Thirty-three experiments were made over 88 acres, nearly all in the

52Moolt&én tahsil, and the greater number by non-officials ; the maximum

53yield obtained was 20 maunds, the minimum 6 maunds, and the

54average 12 maunds. This was the average accepted for the produce

55estimate throughout. The average price current ranges from 32 sers