The Problem with Nij Cultivation

Crops for Europe

The British recognized the potential of the countryside to generate revenue and produce crops needed by Europe. By the late 18th century, they expanded the cultivation of opium and indigo, but also persuaded Indian farmers to produce other crops like jute, tea, sugarcane, wheat, cotton, and rice. They used various methods to expand crop cultivation, including a specific method of production for rice in Madras....

Does Colour have a History?

Figs. 5 and 6 in the NCERT textbook show two cotton prints, one from Andhra Pradesh, India, and the other from 19th-century Britain, featuring a rich blue color called indigo. The blue dye used in the Morris prints likely came from indigo plants cultivated in India, as India was the largest supplier of indigo at the time. Both prints share a common feature of using indigo....

Why the Demand for Indian Indigo?

Indian indigo, a plant mainly found in the tropics, was used by cloth manufacturers in Italy, France, and Britain to dye cloth in the 13th century. However, due to high prices and competition from woad, European cloth manufacturers had to rely on another plant, woad, for violet and blue dyes. Woad producers in Europe pushed governments to ban indigo imports, but cloth dyers preferred indigo due to its rich blue color. By the 17th century, European cloth producers relaxed the ban, allowing indigo to be grown in various locations, including St Domingue, Brazil, Jamaica, and Venezuela. The demand for indigo increased as Britain industrialized and expanded its cotton production, creating a new demand for cloth dyes. However, existing supplies from the West Indies and America collapsed, leading to a half-fold decrease in indigo production between 1783 and 1789....

Britain Turns to India

The Company in India aimed to expand the area under indigo cultivation due to rising demand in Europe. Bengal indigo became the world market’s dominant crop, with Bengal indigo dominating the market by 1810. As the indigo trade grew, commercial agents and the Company began investing in production. Many Company officials left their jobs to manage the business, and Scotsmen and Englishmen came to India to plant. Those without funds could obtain loans from the Company and emerging banks....

How was Indigo Cultivated?

Indigo was cultivated in India through two main systems: nij and ryoti....

The Problem with Nij Cultivation

The problem with nij cultivation is that it is a very inefficient and unsustainable system of agriculture. It requires a lot of land, labor, and resources, and it can lead to soil degradation and nutrient depletion. In addition, nij cultivation is often associated with exploitative labor practices....

Indigo on the Land of Ryots

The ryoti system was a system where planters forced ryots to sign contracts, often pressurizing village headsmen to sign on their behalf. The contract provided cash advances at low interest rates to produce indigo, with the planter providing the seed and drill, and the cultivators preparing the soil and caring for the crop. The cycle of loans continued, with low prices for the indigo produced and no end to the loans. The planters also required indigo to be cultivated on preferred rice soils, and the deep roots of indigo quickly exhausted the soil, making it unsuitable for rice cultivation....

Conclusion – Chapter 3 of Class 8 History ‘Crops for Europe’

In conclusion, chapter 3 of Class 8 History, “Crops for Europe”, discusses how the East India Company forced cultivators to produce crops such as opium, indigo, jute, tea, sugarcane, wheat, cotton, and rice. The Company invested in indigo production, and there were two main systems of indigo cultivation: Nij and Ryoti. The chapter also discusses how the Company redefined people’s rights....

FAQs on Chapter 3 of Class 8 History ‘Crops for Europe’

What is the focus of Chapter 3 of Class 8 History?...