GUIMARÃES, Pedro Maia.
Resumen:
The intent of this study is to show that peasant cotton farmers, represented by small
landholders, sharecroppers and tenants, responsible for nearly all the production of cotton in
the state of Paraiba, have been living a continuous crisis for some time. As a background
situation, there exists an unjust agrarian structure. The occurrence of the boll weevil
(Anthonomus grandis Boheman) has only served to worsen the already existing situation.
Cotton in the state of Paraiba is produced in its near totality by small cotton farmers,
comprised of sharecroppers, small landowners and tenant farmers who predomintly utilize
family manpower and, occasionally, hired help.
This family agriculture is carried out principally in the duality consisting of subsistence
cultures with emphasis on corn-beans x a commercial culture, represented by cotton. This
agricultural activity takes place within an extremely concentrated agrarian structure'm which
the small landholder x large landholder dichotomy prevails.
The occurrence of the boll weevil in cotton plantations in the state of Paraiba has
contributed to a sharp reduction in the cultivated area, production and average yields of this
crop and, as a result, in the monetary return of the cotton farmers. To make the situation of
these cotton planters even worse, this reduction in cotton production, contrary to the law of
supply and demand, has not resulted in a real increase'm the prices of this product as might
have been expected.
The appearance of the boll weevil pest has also contributed to a limitation of resources
for financing cotton production, through rural credit, thus increasing, in relative terms, the
participation of private and third-party resources.
The peasant cotton farmer inserted into this context of absolute poverty, is unable to
make a minimum living necessary for his own survival and for his family. The tendency will be
to migrate, abandoning his field of operations which is the land.