Cropping patterns

Results

Organic and conventional farms cultivated the same range of major crops in the monsoon season, with cotton being the crop with the highest area share (Figure 9 a). Organic farms had in both years 36% of their land under cotton, whereas in conventional farms its share was slightly higher, with 38% in 2003 and 44% in 2004. In both years, organic farms had somewhat smaller land shares under chilli and pigeon pea, while the share of soybean was higher than in conventional farms. Wheat shares in the winter season (Rabi crop)

were about the same in organic and conventional farms (Figure 9 b).

Crop shares in monsoon season (% of total farm area)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Organic Conv Organic Conv

Others Soybean Sorghum Sugarcane Pigeonpea Maize Chilli Cotton 2003 2004

a) _{Wheat share in the winter season (% of total farm area)}

+2% -8% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Organic Conv Organic Conv

2003 2004

b)

Figure 9: Cropping patterns in organic and conventional farms (Conv) in 2003 and 2004: (a) average shares of major crops in the monsoon season, and (b) average wheat shares in the winter season. Figures above the bars in (b) indicate percentage deviation from means of conventional farms (not significant at p ≤ 0.05). n in 2003: OF: 31, CF: 58; n in 2004: OF: 38, CF: 56.

Within the cotton fields, however, patterns differed to a considerable extent between organic and conventional farms (Figure 10). While both organic and conventional farmers used a wide range of cotton varieties (Figure 10 a), organic farmers preferred different varieties than conventional farmers. It is striking that the shares of the six most frequently used varieties in 2003 were substantially different from 2004, when 43% of all conventional cotton fields were cultivated with Bt-varieties. Organic cotton fields had less chilli and more

legumes as the main previous crop, while the shares of cereals (wheat, maize and sorghum) were about the same (Figure 10 b). In the organic system, the percentage of fields in which cotton was grown directly after cotton was lower by 7% and 15% (in 2003 and 2004, respectively). However, the percentage of these fields increased from 22% in 2003 to 37% in 2004, also among organic cotton farms.

Main cotton varieties

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Organic Conv Organic Conv

Other Bt variet. Ajit 11 H-10 JKH - 1 Ankoor09 Ankoor65 H-8 2004 2003 a)

Previous main crop before cotton

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Organic Conv Organic Conv

Maize/ sorghum Wheat Legumes Cotton Chillie 2004 2003 b)

Cotton with intercrop (moong, pigeonpea)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Organic Conv Organic Conv 2004 2003

c)

+994%* +161%*

Average share of wheat in cotton fields

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Organic Conv Organic Conv 2004 2003

d)

-10% -42%*

Figure 10: Cotton cultivation patterns in the cotton fields of organic and conventional farms (Conv) in 2003 and 2004: (a) main cotton variety grown in the field, (b) previous main crop grown in the cotton field, (c) percentage of cotton grown along with an intercrop and (d) average share of wheat area in the cotton field. Figures above the bars indicate percentage deviation from means of conventional cotton fields. n in 2003: OF: 58, CF: 112; n in 2004: OF: 62, CF: 108. Significant difference (t-test): * p ≤ 0.05.

About 29% of the organic cotton fields had an intercrop of legumes, while this share was only 3% (in 2003) and 11% (in 2004) in conventional cotton fields (Figure 10 c). According

to the Maikaal bioRe internal standards, intercrops are compulsory when cotton is grown after cotton in the same field. However, intercrops are frequently poorly developed in the fields. Some farms uproot a part of the cotton at the end of the monsoon season (Kharif

crop) in order to grow wheat in the winter season (Rabi crop). Organic farmers turned

about 20% of their cotton fields into winter wheat; a share that was lower by 10% (in 2003) and 42% (in 2004) compared to conventional cotton fields (Figure 10 d).

Discussion

Organic and conventional farmers explained in interviews that they prefer cotton to most other crops as it can achieve the highest profits. Only chilli, sugarcane and banana cultivation are considered more profitable, but as these crops require more irrigation and labour, and considerable investment in seed stock, only few farms are in a position to cultivate them. Some organic farmers have abandoned chilli cultivation due to low productivity43_{. The differences in cropping patterns of organic and conventional farms are}

likely to be a direct result of the conversion to organic farming. Maintaining a diverse crop rotation involving legumes (e.g. soybean, chick pea and pigeon pea), and growing intercrops or trap crops are integral parts of organic production systems. The interviewed organic farmers seemed to be aware that narrow crop rotation in the long run affects soil fertility, especially when cotton is grown in the same field in consecutive years.

When being asked how they decide on the allocation of land to the different crops, farmers named weather conditions and market prices as the main factors they consider. The increase in cotton area in conventional farms in 2004 thus could be a reaction to the early start of the monsoon, and to the comparatively high cotton prices in 2003. Organic farmers did not increase their cotton area, although the price premium paid for cotton could have been an additional incentive. However, in 2004 they too had a higher percentage of fields where cotton was grown after cotton, and thus a narrower crop rotation. Similarly, the share of fields where cotton was uprooted at the end of the monsoon season to grow winter wheat was lower than in conventional farms. This might indicate a trade-off between wheat and cotton in organic farms. Since organic farmers have so far received a price premium only for cotton, they possibly prefer to continue the cotton crop rather than uprooting it for growing wheat. This incentive to focus on cotton could narrow crop rotations, which is against the objectives of organic farming. The same incentive might work in the overall crop rotation in the farm. If farmers received a price premium also for the rotation crops, more diverse rotation patterns might be achieved.

Maikaal bioRe enforces that cotton is not grown in the same field in two consecutive years unless an intercrop is grown. The effect can be seen in the much higher share of cotton fields intercropped with pulses in organic farms. The poor development of the intercrop in many cotton fields, however, indicates that it is sown rather to comply with the standards than to manage soil fertility. In fact, some farmers argued that intercropping makes intercultural operations such as weeding and ridging more difficult. Efforts to improve the system and the use of intercropping thus seem to be needed.

43 _{The reasons for low chilli yields in some organic farms are most likely insufficient nutrient supply} and problems in preventing or controlling viral diseases. Up to the time of the study, Maikaal bioRe had not included chilli and other crops in the extension work.

Maikaal bioRe provides organic farmers with untreated seeds44 _{of selected cotton varieties}

that are suitable for organic farming. As the company offers these seeds slightly below actual market rates, farmers have an incentive to use the proposed varieties. It is thus not surprising that variety selection differs from conventional farms. At the same time, farmers emphasize that they want to have a wide choice in variety selection, as they want to be able to take advantage of new breeds. Conventional farmers are increasingly using Bt-

cotton varieties, which are not permitted in organic farming.

Altogether the results support the hypothesis that cropping patterns in organic cotton farms are more diverse than in conventional farms (section 3.2.1, hypothesis 1.a).