Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting

Harvesting of Aman paddy is being seriously hampered due to shortage of labour in the district. This is also going to dampen the celebration of Nabanna Utsav, a festivity marking the arrival of new crop at home.
 Some land owners are knocking every door for farm labourers. Some wait beside their fields for hours to engage the one who has just finished a shift somewhere.
"Our labour cost has doubled. In normal period it would cost us Tk 250 to Tk 300 plus lunch for a labour, but currently, the wages have risen to Tk 450 to Tk. 500 plus lunch." said marginal farmer Ratan Biswas of Chutlia village in Jhneidah Sadar upazila.
 Farmer Hossain Ali 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.
Jhenidah sadar upazila agriculture officer Dr Khan Mohammad Moniruzzaman said an acute labour crisis has been prevailing at this peak harvesting period of Aman paddy in six upazilas of Jhenidah. Some 80 per cent of Aman paddy in the area could not be harvested yet.
He said there are two types of labourers in Jhenidah -- regular labour and seasonal labour.
They are work in groups. The seasonal labours come from different places and nearby districts. They work on contract basis. The landowners prefer seasonal laborers as they work fast and finish the work in time.

Labour crisis hits paddy harvesting

Harvesting of Aman paddy is being seriously hampered due to shortage of labour in the district. This is also going to dampen the celebration of Nabanna Utsav, a festivity marking the arrival of new crop at home. Some land owners are knocking every door for farm labourers. Some wait beside their fields for hours to engage the one who has just finished a shift somewhere. Our labour cost has doubled. In normal period it would cost us Tk 250 to Tk 300 plus lunch for a labour, but currently, the wages have risen to Tk 450 to Tk. 500 plus lunch. said marginal farmer Ratan Biswas of Chutlia village in Jhneidah Sadar upazila. Farmer Hossain Ali 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. Jhenidah sadar upazila agriculture officer Dr Khan Mohammad Moniruzzaman said an acute labour crisis has been prevailing at this peak harvesting period of Aman paddy in six upazilas of Jhenidah. Some 80 per cent of Aman paddy in the area could not be harvested yet. He said there are two types of labourers in Jhenidah -- regular labour and seasonal labour. They are work in groups. The seasonal labours come from different places and nearby districts. They work on contract basis. The landowners prefer seasonal laborers as they work fast and finish the work in time.