THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY September 22, 1951 innumerable backwaters and la­ The Economy of Malabar goons. The absence of irrigational By Argus projects has left the district, with T one time the Emporium of teristic of the district, is dependent the second largest acreage under the East, Malabar had receded on monsoon rains and does not yield foodcrops in the Madras State, a A deficit area. Agriculture has re­ from the centre of the picture., a constant supply of water. The mained an uneconomic proposi­ emphasis having shifted from pro­ majority of the rivers are shallow ducing areas and assembling mar­ tion. Malampuzha and other irri­ streams for the greater part of the gational projects now being under­ kets to metropolitan industrial cen­ year and unable to force their way tres and terminal markets. Never­ taken, are not likely to increase the through the sand banks along the agricultural potentiality bv more theless, with its unique agronomic coast, where they are diverted into and physical features, Malabar is than one per cent. still the rich hinterland of exclusive spices—pepper, ginger and carda­ moms; of plantation produce—tea, coffee and rubber; the land of the coconut, the arecanut and the cashewnut; and the home of teak, rosewood and a hundred different species of timber. Industrially, the district of Mala­ bar is the concentric sphere of spe­ cial indigenous industries, fostered and developed there due to con­ genial facilities available. Among these are ceramics, tile, firebrick, bandloom textile, hosiery, spinning and weaving mills, shark liver oil, fish and fruit canning, soap, copra- crushing and hydrogenating indus­ tries. India's No. 1 Timber Yard, extending over 4½ miles is located at Kallai on the banks of the Bey- pore and Kadulundi Rivers and is the chief source of timber to western, southern and central India, feeding the timber and allied indus­ tries including furniture and cabinet making, structural construction, ply­ wood, state and match manufactur­ ing industries. So potential an area has many weak links in its economy. The Malabar land tenure system and the laws of inheritance, unique and peculiar in conception, have been the cause of distribution of holdings by piecemeal, subject to conditions and contractual loop-holes. These have given rise to continual bicker­ ings and litigation, between tenants and landlords, and the system it­ self prevents agricultural operations on large-scale or on an economi- basis. The producer and agricul­ turist functioning in this unecono­ mic holding has no status and is always at the mercy of agents and middlemen, as part of an organi­ sation in the assembling centres. The tenancy system has defied all well meaning land reform legisla­ tion. Even the draft Malabar Tenancy Amendment Bill now on the tapis does not give hope of a possible solution of the intricate problem. The river system that drains the countryside and makes it suitable for a variety of production, charac­ 923 September 22, 1951 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY The district is credited with a the Beypore river near its mouth. and ginger economy of Malabar by forest acreage of 9,60,364 which Moreover, Beypore is linked to assisting the growers. The Council now lies depleted and denuded by the Payoli-Conoly Canal which has of Agricultural Research which has excessive telling under the demands great potentialities as a means of sanctioned vast schemes for every of war, without consideration to the communication. Vast quantities of oilier purpose has hardly done any­ limits of regeneration. 11 that was timber is floated down from the thing beyond inaugurating a token not enough, 18 plywood factories, forests of Malabar to Beypore and research centre in the district a year 35 major saw mills, besides over two thence through Conoly Canal to ago. The same applies to cocoanut thousand timber merchants, slate- Kaliai, the greatest timber yard of and copra. Prices of copra, strange­ frame makers, match-splinters ma­ India. The course of the two rivers ly enough, depend on the Bombay nufacturers, umbrella handle manu­ is the economic life line of Mala­ market and on the demands of ex­ facturers, furniture establishments bar. If properly developed, it can be porters. So greatly have these and other allied industries are de­ made the cheap means of bringing prices been inflated that no less than pending upon Malabar forest tim­ down the products of the planta­ Bo miles with about 550 rotaries ber. The slate-frame industry is tions: tea, coffee, rubber, pepper, have closed down inside a year for virtually closed for want of ' Silver ginger, coconut and areeanut to ron-availability of nulling copra in Arrow ', a species particularly suited the outlet at Beypore. Ferokc, the district, where the retail price for its manufacture. The splinter also on the banks of Beypore, is the of cocoanut and copra ranges and veneer manufacturers are find­ great tile, plywood and ceramic higher than in non-producing areas. ing it difficult to get their require­ manufacturing centre. J he con­ The situation calls for the imme­ ments of timber now under ration­ version of Beypore into an all- diate appointment of a commodity ing restriction. The prospects of weather port could assist trade and committee like the Coffee or Tea the plywood factories in obtaining commerce of the district, do away Boards in order to safeguard the suitable species of soft and hard­ with costly motor transport and interests of pepper and ginger woods is bleak indeed and it is only relieve the congestion on the rail­ growers and to stabilise their eco­ a question when they, too, will way from Calicut, to Cochin and nomy. The Indian Central Cocoa- cease production for lack of their Trivandrurm nut Committee at Ernakularn and chief raw materials. For all the Under the stimulus of private1 the recently started All-India Areea­ discussions, conferences and plans enterprise, industries have a ten­ nut Committee at Calicut are do­ of the Forest Department, nothing dency to develop indiscriminately ing some useful work but these tangible in the way of a short-term without rationalisation. This has Committees suffer from one grievous scheme for the conservation and happened in the case of the tile in­ defect. Their members are import­ regeneration of forests has yet dustry of Calicut and Teroke which ant and big personages but are sel­ emerged. is situated on the banks of the Bey­ dom direct producers. Then, again, Malabar has a coast line of 150 pore, Kadulundi and Ponani the interest of the consumer is often miles with five ports which are rivers, where suitable clay is avail­ sabotaged by an over-emphasis on mere roadsteads and offer no har­ able. The heavy demand for tiles the producer's interest, which gene­ bour or safe anchorage to country both for internal and foreign mar­ rally has come to mean the interest crafts and steam ships. The coast­ kets has brought about a tremen­ ol the bulk consumers. line is shut out lour months in the dous rise in production from 200 The Tea, Coffee and Rubber are year and all business activities arc- lakh tiles per annum to a peak re­ highly organised and their economy suspended for want of an aII-wea­ cord of 700 lakh tiles. This phe­ is integrated to the all-India trade ther port. An area of such com­ nomenal increase has created a ma­ structure. The Commodity Boards mercial and economic importance jor problem where to get a con­ have generally succeeded in getting has been virtually overlooked by tinuous supply of suitable tile clay. all the facilities the planters desire, the Planners of Free India. Malabar The clay fields of Malabar are not including a fair price, but at the has been crying hoarse for an all- inexhaustible and they have now sacrifice of the consumers' interest. weather port at Beypore, located nearly reached their bottom. Thus India produces the best coffee three miles of! Calicut. Beypore is Pepper and ginger are now much in the world but what the internal situated on the confluence of the in the news, and their prices have consumer gets is the lowest quality Beypore and Kadulundi rivers. The have shot up to incredible heights and at a price which bears no re­ former has its source at the crest due to suspension of supplies from lation to the needs for development of the Ghat ranges and is reinforced other producing countries of the or production of the industry by three important tributaries: (1) world. Malabar, the main produc­ concerned. the Karimpuzha which drains the ing centre in India for these com­ Malabar is the stronghold of the tea, coffee and rubber plantations, modities, has thus become the vic­ factory system of organisation in (2) the Ponpuzha, and (3) the tim of powerful financiers and spe­ handloom textile manufacture. Chaliyar which drain the proper culators who are minting gold. There are some 1,784 factories with country. The three streams flowing But the producer hardly gets a pro­ no less than 28,000 looms, providing down meet in the heart of the fa­ portionate benefit of higher prices. livelihood to about two lakhs of mous teak plantations of thr 'Nilam- Stocks are cornered by agents of people. But these factories receive bur valley and thence flow into the dealers in Bombay and Calcutta who no attention from the All-India sea. The Kadulundi River, with its 1 take full advantage of the helpless­ Handloom Board and All-India Cot­ 75 miles course has its source in the ness and ignorance of the growers, tage Industries Board. Thus their Silent Valley, flows via the taluks who have no knowledge of the in­ needs and requirements are woe­ of Frand, Waluvanad and Pounam tricate working of the foreign mar­ fully neglected, with the result that in South Malabar, thus passing the ket. Although merchants earn and the factories work intermittently, re­ garden lands of coconut, arecanut, Government coffers are filled by ducing and re-engaging their staff, pepper and ginger, till it finally the heavy export duty, little or noth­ depending upon the availability of empties itself in the sea, meeting ing is done to strengthen the pepper materials and fluctuating demand. 924