123
lay just in the neighbourhood of his fields. Of course
the price in this case is very high, Rs. 330 per acre I1
This shows that even at a great sacrifice, some parties are
willing to have the benefit of consolidation.
(2) Joint cultivation of sugarcane : The other redeem-
ing feature of the situation is the practice of joint culti-
vation of sugarcane which is at present pursued mostly
by the Kaliparaj farmers. This, however, is not due to
the fact that they are conscious of the advantages of
co-operative cultivation, but because they are practically
forced to it for want of capital sufficient to finance the
crop singly. This sort of co-operative effort, though
thus forced by their economic disabilities, has neverthe-
less marked effects on the production of sugarcane.
Further, it may be noted that it has a great potential
value. If, through education and propaganda, people
are made to realize the advantages of co-operative culti-
vation, it is probable that it may be extended in future
to the cultivation of other crops.
We thus see that though there are some redeeming
features of the highly defective distribution of land in
the villages, the problem of sub-division and fragmenta-
tion is universal in Gujarat and is so acute everywhere
that we can no longer afford to ignore it.
Remedial measures. Different remedies have been
suggested by different economists and administrators.
After a critical review of the various remedies employed
in different Provinces, the Royal Commission on Indian
Agriculture concludes that the best method of getting
relief from the evils that arise from fragmentation of
right holders' or landowners' holdings is the consolida-
tion of holdings or the substitution—by exchange of
land—of a compact block for a number of scattered
fragments through the medium of co-operative societies
established for that purpose. When this is not likely to
1 How abnormal this price is can be realised when it is remembered
that this was a plot of Jarayat land and the average price per acre of
this class of soil is Rs. 60 in this village.
16*