SAMBALPUR: Shortage of farm hands due to the lockdown has cast a cloud on harvesting of rabi paddy in the district which will begin within a week. Majority of the farmers of Sambalpur depend on labourers from Chhattisgarh and with restriction on public mobility due to the coronavirus pandemic, an acute scarcity of these farm hands has emerged in the district.
Advisor of Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan (SZKSS) Ashok Pradhan said agricultural operations are yet to be fully mechanised. Farmers depend on labourers to carry out agricultural activities including harvesting of paddy. “Farmers mostly depend on labourers from Chhattisgarh. However, with the Government restricting inter-State movement of people, workers from the neighbouring State are not able to come to the district which has emerged as a major headache for farmers,” said Pradhan.
He further said the combine harvester, which cuts paddy shoots, separating grains and disposing of hay, cannot be used in lowlands. In Sambalpur, paddy has been cultivated over 14,630 hectare and a production target of 87,780 tonne has been set for the current rabi season. The farmers are expecting bumper paddy production this season due to suitable weather and no report of pest attack.
Umesh Mishra, a farmer of Satupali village under Dhankauda block, said he has cultivated paddy over 45 acre of land. He usually engages labourers from Chhattisgarh and combine harvester for harvesting paddy in highland areas. “With the shortage of farm workers looming large, it is certain that I will face difficulties during harvesting of paddy,” he said. Chief District Agriculture Officer of Sambalpur Santosh Ray said labourers from Chhattisgarh will not be allowed to take part in the paddy harvesting process. The farmers would be advised to engage local workers in this period of crisis.
“If any farmer is interested to bring labourers from Bargarh and Balangir districts, he will have to seek permission of the district administration,” he said. Ray further said there are around 80 combine harvesters in the district. “The harvesting process may take some more time with the available number of machines but we will have to manage things in this crisis,” he added.