The Hindu : Cotton ryots switch over to ganja cultivation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Cotton ryots switch over to ganja cultivation

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR AUG. 20. A majority of cotton farmers, who are suffering losses in cotton cultivation, are going in for ganja as an alternative crop to earn more profits.

According to statistics available with the district Excise and Prohibition Department, they had registered 124 cases during the year 2001-2002 against the persons for cultivating ganja crop in their fields.

The highest of 96 cases were registered in Jammikunta, followed by Manthani with 14 cases, Huzurabad six cases, Husnabad five and one case each in Metpally, Peddapally and Sultanabad circles.

Surprisingly, ganja is being cultivated as alternative crop in the cotton fields and chilli fields. In the entire Jammikunta circle, ganja is cultivated in cotton fields and in Manthani circle in the chilli fields.

In Mallannapalli, a hamlet of Rachapalli village in Jammikunta circle, about 38 cases were detected by Excise Department officials where farmers had taken up ganja cultivation.

The department report stated that they had arrested 112 persons during the last year and destroyed 39,687 plants and seized about 20 kg of dry ganja. Ganja cultivation is ramhant in the Jammikunta circle due to its location on the borders of Warangal district and also railway stations for easy transport of the contraband to neighbouring States.

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