Boro production: Labour shortage worries farmers
Farmers in districts under Rangpur division are facing an acute shortage of farm labourers amid the ongoing hot spell.
In a double blow to the farmers, many labourers are refraining from working in the open, while others are overcharging.
Being unable to find labourers at affordable rates, farmers said they would shelve their plans to work in the Boro paddy fields and harvesting maize for the time being.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Boro paddy has been cultivated on 5,08,137 hectares and maize on 1,14,980 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur region this year.
"We have neither been working in the Boro paddy fields nor harvesting maize for a while due to the scorching heat. Some of us, however, might consider it if the pay is good," said Manirul Islam, 48, a farm labourer of Phulbari upazila of Kurigram.
"Usually, a team of 10 workers can harvest maize from three bighas of land in a day for Tk 9,000. Amid the ongoing heatwave, however, it is difficult to even harvest maize from one bigha land in a day for the same workforce," said Sabed Ali, 50, a day labourer of Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat.
"Many day labourers are charging Tk 5,000 for each bigha land, but most farmers are not interested in bearing the additional cost," he added.
Nur Islam, 45, a day labourer from Rangpur's Gangachhara upazila, said, "Many of us are falling ill after working all day in the fields amid extreme heat. Also, while the rates have gone up, the earnings actually reduced as it is not possible to work long enough in this weather."
Probhat Chandra Das, 65, a farmer from Lalmonirhat's Kaliganj upazila, said, "Just a month back, each farm labourer would work for Tk 500-550, but now they are charging Tk 700-800. Also, there is a shortage of workers available."
Meanwhile, the temperature has remained between 34-38 degrees Celsius over the past few days in Rangpur region, according to data of meteorological department office in Rangpur.
The highest temperature was in the division was recorded 38.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. On the same day last year, the temperature was 29 degrees Celsius, it added.
Obaidur Rahman Mandal, additional director of DAE in Rangpur region, said it is time to take care of Boro paddy fields and harvest maize but farmers are having difficulty in doing so due to labour shortage amid the heat.
Comments