Hindustan Times (India), September 27, 2007
400.000 children slogging in cotton fields: report
Report „Child Bondage Continues in Indian Cotton Supply Chain“
About four lakh Indian children are engaged in hybrid cotton fields in four cotton growing states, says a report by the India Committee of the Netherlands (ICN).
ICNs director Gerard Oonk said, “The report makes it chillingly clear that our cotton products are tainted with massive bonded child labour. Both Indian and multinational companies are involved in this trade and governments and international organisations should make every effort to get the children out of this pernicious work and direct them to schools. We would certainly urge Indian organizations and those of other countries to do so.
Based on the field research done by Glocal Research, the report said that out of the total number of children involved in child labour in the cotton industry, 2.25 lakh are below the age of 14.
The report also said that the children are made to work for 8 to 12 hours with a paltry earning of Rs 20 to 30 per day. “They are routinely exposed to poisonous pesticides and often trafficked as migrants from other districts and states, the report said.
While in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat more than 80% of the children are trafficked, North Gujarat receives tens of thousands of children from Rajasthan every year. The children often live in makeshift shelters and are vulnerable to mental, physical and sexual abuse, the report said.
The report accused the 13 big Indian companies and two multinationals, Monsanto and Bayer, for their involvement in this modern form of child slavery. (Chetan Chauhan)
note: Bayer/Proagro also has marketing agreement with Raasi one of the leading Indian seed company. According to this agreement Proagro has exclusive marketing rights over two of Raasi brand seeds (Production is done by Raasi and marketing is handled by Proagro). According to the agreement Proagro has the right to monitor Raasi farms where seeds are produced for Proagro. Despite knowing that children are employed in Raasi farms Proagro never bothered to bring pressure on Raasi for implementation of no child labour policy.
Campaign „Child Labour in India“