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Presentation of Agrocel :
Location : Gujarat State, North-West of India. Agrocel is a semi-public Indian Joint-venture (it gathers the government of Gujarat and private GuJrati interests) leader in organic agriculture. Created in 1941, this company of production and cotton export, has for objective to offer services to the farmers of Gujarat, this state of the North-West of India, sadly known for its regular drynesses and the poverty of its farmers due to poor yield. Right from its creation, Agrocel gives itself the mission of improving the economic, natural and social environment of the small cotton producers. In order to limit the rural migration, the growing impoverishment of the grounds and the shouting lack of access to the market of the cotton of the farmers too often in bankruptcies. Its mission : The actions of Agrocel concentrate on: For Agrocel, the extent of the task is huge as well as the population is poor and the grounds arid. To put an end to the drynesses in a permanent way, it proposes to the farmers to plant a maximum of trees and to use a system of irrigation by drip. This system made it possible to triple the production and to reduce the use of an invaluable water. Today, the leaders of agrocel can proud to affirm that they provide everything to the farmers:`' from seed to the tractor! Fair Trade : Agrocel will also seek partners to run out its production of cotton. It is in the fair trade that it manages
to develop solid and durable partnerships. European companies like
People Tree and Traidcraft take share with the various projects of
Agrocel. Agrocel was certified fair trade (FLO) in 2005. Since the creation of the fair trade and organic programs, the production of cotton clearly increased, the income of the farmers are definitely better and the cost of the inputs is limited. Considering the success of these groups of producer, many members wish to participate in the program. The advantages of fair trade : Fair Trade Price The price paid to the farmers by
Agrocel for fair trade and organic cotton is 0,55 CAN$ the kilo. To
that the fair trade premium (FLO) of 0,07 CAN$ the kilo is added and
the organic premium of 0,15 CAN$. That is to say a total of 0,77 CAN$
the kilo against 0,37 CAN$ the kilo for conventional cotton. Fair Trade Premium Thanks to the fair trade premium Agrocel has scheduled construction of cement floor in the cattle sheds in order to manufacture organic compost and pesticides. The premium is also used for the purchase of school uniforms for the children and for the financing of training programs for women. One also develops water economy programs, tree plantation, installations of vermi-compost and diversification of the cultures: sesame, caster, lenses, wheat, green beans and black. The words of a small cotton producer: M. Bhavan Mavji Patel, Cotton grower, Padampar village, Rapar district. Bhavan ows a land of 3 acres of cotton.
He has 3 children and he has been producing cotton for 15 years. He
is part of the group of certified producers by FLO, but his cotton
is not yet organic. "I have been a producer of Agrocel for 4 years. Since then, the productivity of my field increased up to 1000kg per acre! It is almost twice as before! It is because Agrocel teaches us better techniques of production, like using natural manures, when and how to spread... The other companies, they sell the seeds to you, but after that, you are on your own! Agrocel, explains us in group what to do, and then once per season, there is an expert who comes to see how it goes and I can ask him all the questions that I want. I am ready to engage myself in organic cotton as of next year because, for the past two years, I have used almost no pesticides nor artificial fertilisers. I used almost only organic products. They are very effective and very much less expensive! Why didn’t I do it up front? Due to a lack of information! But for 3 years now, during the meetings of our group of producers, several farmers of the neighbourhoods have told us all the improvements which they have thanks to the organic ones: less expensive to produce, better for the environment and the health of the children, and especially a better selling price! Then two years ago, when one proposed to me to take part in fair trade certification, I said yes! This way, I make a good transition, I learn how to meet the conditions of certification, to note all that I do in the field. And now, I am ready to pass to the organic one, and it is me which speaks about this program to the others! Source : Étude Equicoton ©synairgis.com.
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