Shortage of labourers: Harvest of Aman paddy hampered in Gopalganj
GOPALGANJ: Farmers at Kangsur in Sadar Upazila are busy in harvesting Aman paddy.
Gopalganj Correspondent :
Harvesting of Aman paddy is being seriously hampered due to shortage of labourers in Gopalganj district.
The celebration of Nabanna Utsav, a festivity marketing the arrival of new crop at home is being delayed for this reason.
Some landowners are knocking every door for farm labourers. They have to wait beside their fields for hours to engage the one who has just finished a shift somewhere.
Latif Sikder (50) a margined farmer of village Dilna under Sadar Upazila said our labour cost has doubled. In normal period it would cost Tk. 250 to Tk. 300 plus lunch for a labour, but currently the wages have risen to Tk. 450 to Tk. 500 plus lunch.
One stage he further said the rice inside husk gets dry, locally call ‘chita’ due to delayed harvest. in some places one can see a long line of land owners to hire day labourers. These helpless landowners are ready to pay higher wages and facilities.
Md. Mizanur Rahman, Upazila Agriculture officer, Gopalganj Sadar told The F.E. an acute labour crisis has been prevailing at this peak harvesting period of Aman paddy in five upazilas of Gopalganj. Some 60 percent of Aman paddy in the area could not be havested yet. He said there are tow types of labourers in Gopalganj regular labour and seasonal labour.
They are work in groups. The seasonal labours came from different places and nearby district. They work on contract basis. The landowners prefer seasonal labourers as they work fast and finish the work in time.
Harvesting of Aman paddy is being seriously hampered due to shortage of labourers in Gopalganj district.
The celebration of Nabanna Utsav, a festivity marketing the arrival of new crop at home is being delayed for this reason.
Some landowners are knocking every door for farm labourers. They have to wait beside their fields for hours to engage the one who has just finished a shift somewhere.
Latif Sikder (50) a margined farmer of village Dilna under Sadar Upazila said our labour cost has doubled. In normal period it would cost Tk. 250 to Tk. 300 plus lunch for a labour, but currently the wages have risen to Tk. 450 to Tk. 500 plus lunch.
One stage he further said the rice inside husk gets dry, locally call ‘chita’ due to delayed harvest. in some places one can see a long line of land owners to hire day labourers. These helpless landowners are ready to pay higher wages and facilities.
Md. Mizanur Rahman, Upazila Agriculture officer, Gopalganj Sadar told The F.E. an acute labour crisis has been prevailing at this peak harvesting period of Aman paddy in five upazilas of Gopalganj. Some 60 percent of Aman paddy in the area could not be havested yet. He said there are tow types of labourers in Gopalganj regular labour and seasonal labour.
They are work in groups. The seasonal labours came from different places and nearby district. They work on contract basis. The landowners prefer seasonal labourers as they work fast and finish the work in time.