RURAL INDEBTEDNESS AND AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATION IN CYPRUS

The book deals with some theorretical questions relating to agriculture, such as the pure aspects of rural indebtedness and its causes, including an account of the so-called money-lender system. In view of the existing divergence in Cyprus between the actual size and the so-called optimum size of holdings, an account is given in Parts I and II of Appendix D of the factors determining the optimum size of holdings. In regard to agricultural co-operation the book deals with the author’s views on what may be called the pure theory of agricultural co-operation particularly in regard to its social nature or significance, in Appendix D Part III, an attempt is made to illustrate in a theoretical way th enature and extent of the eddects of agricukltural co-operation on holdings of different sizes. the reader will find in the text, including the Appendices, much that is entirely original.

The preface to the revised edition deals in detail with the decadence of the co-operative movement in Cyprus since about 1960 and its causes. An attempt is made therein to put forward in outline form a series of remedial measures which hopefully may arrest and reverse the decline. It is claimed that the injection into Co-operative Central Bank of public funds for purposes of salvaging that institution and more generally saving the movement is likely to defeat its purpose. In effect it has been ascertained that institution has become a means of dissipating the savings of genuine farmer.

The preface to the revised edition deals also with recent developments in land consolidation and irrigation. Trends in the kind of crops grown and the size of holdings and plots are also ascertained and considered. the fact the there is a substantial area of land which remains unaccounted for in official statistics as first indicated in the text is reconfirmed. The author concludes that a sizable part of that area consists of cultivable land which remains uncultivated.

Owing to the current state of the co-operative movement and the consequent lack of reliable statistical data it has not been possible to update what is said in the text about rural indebtedness and hence draw any conclusions in the present circumstances about that important subject.