International Journal of Farm Sciences

Cotton harvesting is a laborious task performed mostly by women farm workers. Farm Science Centre, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra has designed cotton harvesting bags as per standard anthropometric measurements. The ergonomically designed bag is ready to use and promotes ease in tying, picking, load carrying and emptying in comparison to traditional back and front loading cotton harvesting bags. A study to assess efficiency and comfort in use of the bag was carried out in Wardha district of Maharashtra, a predominantly cotton growing area in 2015–16. It was found that more area was covered in an hour and 25 per cent more cotton was harvested in comparison to traditional system; 65 per cent women reported that the bags were most feasible to use for cotton picking. In overall 70 per cent women expressed that their drudgery was reduced by using these bags.