Lacking physical facilities for storage and financial capacity to hold on to the produce for better prices, cotton pickers nearly succumb to the adversities knowing that there is no other way out. In fact, the employment of cotton pickers has always remained at the mercy of climate, and an erratic market.
The apathetic Government is nonetheless trying to work out a strategy to deal with such disastrous situation. It has, now, started imparting awareness about how cotton pickers can avoid the poisoning effects of pesticides.
SDPI study shows that as compared to other agricultural workers, cotton pickers' wages are low. Their precarious status as seasonal, contract and piece rate workers as well as their poverty and poor bargaining power contribute to suppress their earnings.
WTO has clearly stated the appropriate rules and regulations with detailed characteristics and determinants of employment, earnings and other working conditions in cotton cultivation.
The high concentration of female labourers in cotton harvesting appears to lower their bargaining power and, consequently, depresse wage rates. This constrains their ability to protect themselves against occupational hazards, most importantly in the form of poisonous pesticides.
SDPI experts have demanded that landowners, pesticide producers and retailers should take effective measures to protect cotton pickers' health and livelihood. They also urged the Government to extend labour laws to cotton pickers and other agricultural workers for protecting their rights and safeguarding their health.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
marketing@alchempro.com
