Question

To persuade the unwilling cultivators to cultivate opium, the government _________.

• A. appointed officer to force farmers
• B. offered loans to cultivators through village headmen
• C. offered very attractive price
• D. gave them free lands

Answer 1

The correct option is B offered loans to cultivators through village headmen

• Unwilling cultivators were made to produce opium through a system of advances. These loans tied the peasant to the headmen and through him to the government.
• By giving advances the cultivator, was forced to grow opium on a specified area of land. The farmers were bound to hand over his produce to the government agents and accept the low price offered.
• He had no option of planting the field with a crop of his choice or selling his product to anyone but the government agent.
• The cultivator also had no choice but to accept the low price offered for the practice.