Amid labour crunch, paddy transplantation begins in East Godavari

Rajamahendravaram: Farming fraternity in the district are busy with ploughing their paddy fields along with transplantation of paddy saplings in the kharif season.

The farmers are making efforts to complete the transplantation works by July 15 as per the advice of agriculture department.

However, the farmers are facing scarcity of agriculture labour due to corona induced lockdown. Because of corona induced lockdown, farm labour from West Bengal and other parts of the state did not arrived. Usually, the agriculture labour comes to the district in June and stays here upto completion of harvesting in September and October months. A few numbers of agriculture labour came to some parts of district but they returned because of corona. Due to labour shortage, it is inevitable to farmers to pay high daily wages to local labour. As per kharif plan, paddy will be cultivated in 22.50 lakh hectares out of 25.70 lakh hectares and crops raised in the remaining area.

According to an official of agriculture department, if the farmers completes paddy transplantation works before second week of July, it helps them to get yield without losses from rains and floods. Moreover, it also helps to start Rabi season early also.

A farmer M Kanaka Raju of Katheru said scarcity of agriculture labour posing problem to agriculture works but trying to complete paddy transplantation works as early as possible as per the directions of agriculture department.

Agriculture labour from other areas may come to the district by September or October months, if corona problem is eradicated, he added.