Labour crisis hits Boro harvest

Shortage of farm labourers is hampering harvesting of Boro crop in the district this season, creating problems for the growers.

The price of one maund of paddy is Tk 550 to Tk 600, while the daily wage of a day labourer is Tk 650 to Tk 700.

Harvesting began in late April and will continue till June, but unavailability of farm labourers has left the farmers uncertain about timely reaping of Boro paddy, said farmers and agriculture officials.

“Farmer as well as day labourers are very busy reaping, husking, transporting and preserving their paddy as it rains daily,” said Sanatan Das, a farmer of Sangdia village in Kachua upazila.

“Saline water could submerge our land at any time if someone breaks the protection dam to let in saline water for cultivating shrimp,” he added

“We hired day labourers from Jatrapur Haat. They come from Naogaon, Chapainawabganj and Natore. We are selling the paddy at Tk 550 to Tk 600 per maund,” said Swapan of Biskhali village in Morrelganj upazila.

“We have to pay the labourers Tk 650 to Tk 700 and give them meals three times daily. But we are still not getting enough labourers for cutting, transporting and husking the paddy as well as preserving the straw for our cattle,” he added.

“We get about 45maunds to 50 maunds of paddy from one bigha of land. Four to 10 labourers are needed only to cut the crop on one bigha. Then more labourers are needed to carry the paddy from the field to the house,” said Gopal Das.

“We are not getting sufficient labourers to save our ripe paddy from the rain and storm,” he added

“I have cut down my paddy and it is in the field as I could not get more labourers to carry it to my house,” said Mrinal Mondal of Bagmara village in Sadar upazila.

"We have got bumper production, but it is getting rotten in field due to the labour shortage," he said.  

“A total of 56,055 hectares of land were brought under Boro cultivation in the district this year, and we have got bumper production. Most of the farmers have got 40 maunds to 45 maunds of paddy form one bigha of land,” said Additional Director of Bagerhat Department of Agricultural Extension Aftab Uddin.

“Boro harvesting is being hampered due to shortage of labourers. We are not able to use the combine harvesters as they need plain land. It is difficult to drive the harvester from one plot to another. We are using some small rice cutters introduced by ACI,” he added.