"We economize pennies but lose banknotes". This folk wisdom may be quite justifiably referred to those who determine the development of cotton-growing in the country. If to express it more precisely it concerns most of all leaders of agrarian households in Northern Tajikistan. And those officials who sit in the Ministry of agriculture. Harvesting machines are not applied in the republic for long years. One could apologize it in the period of the civil war or when economic crisis was too tough as fuel and power problems are entailed by it too. Those farms which had no money at their disposal couldn't naturally utilize harvesting technique needing repairs and fuel. Though now they don't stand on firm footing yet in the aspect of finances they can afford spare parts and repairs of technique being on their balance.
The agrarian households of Zafarobod, Mastchoh and Jabborrasulov areas of Sughd viloyat complain annually of working hands deficiency. A great number of pupils, students, dekhans from neighboring districts come to succor. And every year one and the same problem springs up - mobilization of helpers, accommodations for several tens of thousands of collectors. Since Soviet times this campaign is called voluntary-compulsory. The gist of this locution lies in the fact that the powers in order not to contradict the legislation prohibiting forced labor call it to be "voluntary". However, the methods they are guided with can't be called otherwise than human rights violation. The main thing is that students and pupils interrupt their classes for a long time. Spontaneous protests against forced methods of mobilization with allusions to sapped health are not paid attention. Young people, reluctant to go to harvest, forward this reason in the majority of cases, thereof medical examination is enforced of late for the so-called "volunteers" which they must undergo. Non-participation in this campaign may entail an expulsion from a higher school. If it has nothing to do with voluntary desires isn't it better to acknowledge the fact of forced labor in the county? Experts studying social processes sometimes note the preserved traditions of the Soviet society in the questions of patriotic upbringing as a positive factor. Well, it's true. But can't one legalize such measures aimed at state interests, in other words, shouldn't one create a legislative base not to mislead people?
It seems to me, leaders of households think very little about the fate of the yield a dekhan has to grow. Being uneager to part with monopoly, to give the land to peasants, they hope from year to year for helpers to come and pick up the grown yield. I think, if the land were possessed by a peasant he would find availabilities of coping self-sufficiently with all the complex of agrarian jobs. Over the latest years they spoke much of putting an end to the practice of mobilization of population for harvest. Students also hoped to study normally this year and not to bend their backs in cotton fields. There were hopes for an effective academic year and perfection of knowledge. But spring confused all the plans. And not only for peasants - for leaders of agrarian households, higher school, representatives of powers. Should one respond to the call? Beyond doubts. Though cotton won't bring welfare into each concrete family, but we are patriots of our Fatherland and are prompt to help it when there is necessity in it. But another thing is interesting as well. The leaders of households knew long before that they might get in a quandary caused by retarded spring and late cotton ripening. Why didn't they prepare a proper number of combines? According to some data they managed to have repaired only 15 cotton harvesting machines. And it is unclear yet if all of them will operate. Among agrarians there is such an opinion that harvesting technique may result into yield losses and the quality of cotton picked up by hands is much better. And not let them count the losses suffered by the farms which haven't finished even the first collection yet. What can be said about the quality caused by incessant rains? The illusions imposed on students have dispelled. They had had no time for storing the third of the yield when colds came. And now let them count what would have been more profitable: cheap manual labor or utilization of technique?
Let us admit that up to now the farms of Mastchoh, Zafarobod and Jabborrasulov districts which during the last Soviet years were concentrated on harvesting technique even now are unable to compensate for all the expenditures beset with acquisition of new technique or repairs of the old one. But they knew they will have asked the authorities to mobilize helpers again. Did they take into account the experience of previous years, did they prepare proper accommodations for collectors? It is not excluded that the present cotton campaign may be the most protracted and students will be held in cotton fields for a very long time. Though there is a little material stimulus - several dirams for each kilogram of cotton - that is not the main thing for many students. In response to their help they reckon for normal human attitude to themselves in the term of good accommodations, meals and night sleep under proper conditions inclusive.