E-Paper
Haryana farmers struggle to sow paddy in absence of farm labourers
Farmers say the cost of labour has increased from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,000 per acre
Farmers are struggling to sow paddy in the absence of migrant labourers who had returned to their native places amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Farmers said the cost of labour had increased from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,000 per acre. They say labourers are also demanding free meals and advance payment as migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand had returned to their native places after the Central government had imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus.
FARMERS REACH OUT TO UP-BASED CONTRACTOR
A farmer, Jaibir Singh of Rohtak’s Karor village, said, “Four of us enlisted a contractor in western Uttar Pradesh. He asked us to provide transportation facility for the labourers. We brought eight labourers in two cars to our village. We are providing three meals a day, accommodation and Rs 4,000 to each labourer,” he said.
The state government is encouraging paddy farmers to shift maize and pulse cultivation under the ambitious Mera Pani Meri Virasat scheme but most farmers are unwilling to sow other crops. Under this scheme, farmers switching over to an alternate crop instead of paddy this season will be given an incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre. Farmers of 19 blocks where water the depth is around 40 metres are included in this scheme.
A farmer from Sonepat’s Bhainswal village, Vijay Pal, said his fields were ready for sowing paddy but he had been unable to find labour.
“Most local labourers are already engaged in construction and paddy plantation activities and the migrant workers are unwilling to return. The absence of migrant workers has hit us hard. Contractors are demanding Rs 15,000 for bringing labour from Uttar Pradesh along with Rs 4,200 per acre for paddy sowing and free meals for workers,” Pal said.
LOCAL LABOURERS IN DEMAND
Local labourers in villages of Rohtak , Jhajjar and Sonepat say they were employed in the absence of migrant labourers.
Sakuntla Devi, a labourer from Jhajjar’s Dighal village, said she was glad to have found work in her village.
“This time farmers are preferring local labourers. We are being paid Rs 4,100 to Rs 4,300 per acre for paddy sowing in advance. This time we will not have to leave the village to earn money”, she added.
