Abstract

The extension of World War II to South East Asia at the end of the year 1941 and the initial reverses of the Allies leading to the loss of the chief rice growing countries in that theatre, contributed to the steady deterioration in the stock and supply position of food in India. The Government were forced to take emergent and concerted measures to retrieve the difficult food situation in the quickest possible time. In accordance with this general policy, the Madras Government intensified the food drive now familiar to all as the "Grow more Food Campaign". The plan for stepping up production consisted among other items of (a) area increase by bringing in the cultivable wastes then lying uncultivated (b) legislation to curtail non-food crops (c) extension of irrigational sources both as canals and wells (d) supply of power for pumping water and essential needs of the Agriculturist in the shape of manure, seeds and tools at controlled rates and (e) liberalisation of price structure for food grains and checking the inflationary tendencies of commercial crops like cotton through price controls: The achievements of the campaign have been the subject matter of periodical reviews by the Government on the one hand and criticisms of the rate-payers on the other. The fact that we are alive to day and that starvation deaths have been few proves that the crisis has been tided over. Our thanks are due to the rationing system which saved us from collapse in the period of emergency. It cannot, however, he said that the health of cattle received the same amount of consideration as human beings. It shall be my endeavour in this paper to review the various legislative measures promulgated to discourage growth of cotton in this province and the effects they had on the position of cotton seed as a rich source of protein for stockfeed.

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