Labour crisis worries Boro farmers in Jashore

Farmers of Jashore have become worried about the shortage of labour during the current Boro paddy harvesting season.

According to the district department of agricultural extension, Boro was cultivated on a total of 1,85,505 hectares of land this year. Paddy production is also satisfactory in the district. But the labour shortage has become a cause of concern for growers. Jashore farmers have so far harvested only 30 percent of the Boro paddy.

Every year an acute labour crisis hits the farmers across the country during the Boro paddy harvesting period. Farmers eagerly wait for the labourers to come from the northern districts including Rangpur and Dinajpur.

But, due to financial solvency and alternative employment opportunities, the number of labourers is decreasing during Boro harvesting time. As a result, the demand for local labourers has increased in every district of the country. Jashore is no exception to it.

Farmers said local labourers are demanding extra wages for paddy harvest. Some of them are taking advance payment and working half the day taking advantage of the labour crisis. Labourers are being benefited from that. On the other hand, farmers are paying extra money for paddy harvest which will add to the additional cost of the total rice production. Expert labourers of Jashore are charging Tk 1,000 for half-day work and working at two fields of two separate farmers. Their daily net income rises to Tk 2,000. Nevertheless, farmers are not getting enough labourers in time to harvest their ripe paddy.

Abdul Khaleque, farmer of Hanua village under Monirampur upazila, said he has cultivated two bighas of land. But due to labour shortage, he could not harvest his paddy yet.

“I have booked some workers today with advance payment. They will harvest my Boro paddy at their convenient time. This is not fair. But, I have to follow their conditions to save my paddy from further loss.”

Echoing him, farmer Sohanur Rahman of Sirajsingha village of the same upazila said, the rate of day labour was Tk 800 before Eid. Now he cannot schedule the workers even for Tk 1,000.

This week’s cyclone ‘Ashani’ increased their workload as farmers feared that a hit could destroy their crops.

Farmers made frantic efforts to harvest the Boro paddy before rainfall caused by the ‘Ashani’. This put a pressure on the labour market and workers are taking advantage of the crisis.

Meanwhile, some volunteer organisations of the district have been harvesting the Boro paddy of the poor farmers free of cost.

Around 50-60 volunteers led by Haibatpur union parishad member Abdur Rahim, have harvested 10 bighas Boro paddy which came to the attention of the area. Youths of the Uttar Lalidah are also harvesting the Boro paddy of the poor villagers.