Northern paddy farmers at a loss over rising labour cost

People who subsist on paddy farming in the country's northern districts, namely Bogura, Joypurhat, Gaibandha and Dinajpur, are currently in a vulnerable situation due to their prolonged struggle to make a profit from the crop amid rising labour costs.

"Five years ago, the labour cost was only Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 for transplanting saplings on each acre but now, we have to spend Tk 3,500 for the same purpose," said Rubel Hossain, a farmer of Naogaon village under Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha.

Labour costs have been leaping up due to a shortage of manpower stemming from the availability of other employment options, such as rickshaw pulling and garment factories.

The cost gets particularly high during peak harvesting seasons, when labours are paid as much as Tk 600-700 per day compared to Tk 500 during normal times.

As a result of the higher labour cost, large-scale farms are steadily becoming more mechanised but not all can afford such technology even at the government subsidised rates.

Hossain went on to say that farmers spent just Tk 3,000 to Tk 4,000 to harvest one acre of paddy five years ago but the cost has risen to between Tk 10,000 and Tk 12,000 at present.

"The higher labour cost is the biggest challenge currently faced by paddy famers," he said.

Similarly, growers in Maltia village under Kalai upazila of Joypurhat said that aside from the increased cost of transplanting and harvesting, weeding charges have gone up from Tk 300 to Tk 1,500 per acre.

Echoing Hossain, local farmer Rashedul Islam said rising labour costs have become a major threat for people like him.

Amirul Islam, a farmer of Palsha village under Dinajpur's Ghoraghat upazila, who cultivated around 20 bighas of aman paddy this year, said all input costs related to growing paddy have increased but the biggest problem is the sharp hike in labour costs.

Farmer Shahidul Islam of Vatra village under Bogura's Nandigram upazila said even though labour costs have risen, a labour crisis occurs during the peak season in most years.

For example, many farmers were not able to hire labourers during this year's boro season, when quickly harvesting the crop was of paramount importance in the face of incessant rain.

As a result, around 300 acres of boro paddy were ruined as entire fields became submerged, Islam added.

"We are going to incur losses as production costs have risen but the market price for rice did not see equal growth," said Saidul Islam, a farmer of Paroil village in Gobindaganj upazila.

Asked how the government is trying to ease the sufferings of farmers, Dulal, Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Bogura, said they are selling agro-machinery at 50 per cent subsided rates in a bid to lower production costs.

As such, more than 100 combine harvesters have already been distributed across 12 upazilas of the district in the past two fiscal years, he added.

Harun-Or-Rashid, a farmer of Tolashan village in Nandigram upazila of Bogura, said he spent Tk 14.5 lakh on a combine harvester, which has significantly decreased his production cost.

He then explained that it costs at least Tk 11,000 to harvest each acre of paddy using labourers but with a combine harvester, the cost is around Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500 per acre.

Other than buying a combine harvester themselves, farmers also have the option of renting one out.

"Labourers usually charge around Tk 5,000 for harvesting one bigha [33 decimals] of paddy but we charge only Tk 1,600 per bigha," said SM Musha, the owner of a combine harvester in Bogura sadar upazila.

In Gaibandha, some 69 combine harvesters and four power threshers have been distributed across seven upazilas.

A combine harvester can reap one acre of paddy in about one hour, according to Belal Uddin, deputy director of the Gaibandha DAE.

"So, farmers who can afford this machine are benefiting highly as their production cost is dropping manifold," he said.

But even though there are more combine harvesters up for sale, most farmers are unable to buy them considering the high price despite the government's 50 per cent subsidy.

Uddin then said that it would cost farmers just Tk 1,500 per acre if they use transplanting machines whereas the labour charge is around Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000 per acre.