Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
There is no smile on the face of farmers for bumper production of Boro Paddy in Ishwardi. Workers are not getting along even with high wages in the season full of paddy harvesting. In the rain and wind, paddy of many lands has fallen. Farmers’ paddy is being wasted in the field. Due to the lack of labor, there is a fear of cutting the paddy and taking it home on time.
On the ground, different areas of Ishwardi Upazila can be seen, golden paddy swaying in the wind field after field. The work of cutting and threshing of early variety paddy has started.
Farmers and peasants are busy taking paddy home. Many people are drying paddy in the field. Some people are boiling paddy and drying raw paddy straw for cow hay.
Referring to the labor crisis, Azam Bepari of Baghachala village in Muladuli of Ishwardi said that the labor crisis has arisen as most of the paddy in the field has ripened. A worker does not match even one ounce of paddy. Paddy in this area is 900 to 1000 taka. The wage of a worker is 900 taka. As well as one meal at a time. If we calculate 100 taka for food, the wage of the worker is one thousand rupees.
Monirul Islam, a farmer from the same village, said that the farmers are not happy about the good planting of paddy. In addition to the extra price of fertilizers and pesticides, the farmers will not see any profit in the end due to the high wages of day laborers. Paddy cultivation has decreased in this field than before.
In this way, if there is loss in paddy, cultivation will be further reduced.
Regarding the higher wages, Selim, a paddy cutter, said that the higher the price of all items, including food items, the higher the wages. With the wages I get, I end up buying rice and pulses. Oil, rice, pulses prices are rising every day.
Another worker, Sumon, said, “We can’t make ends meet with the money we earn every year.” Even after running the family, I kept something for the future. Now the family is not doing well with what I get.
Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said paddy has been planted in 2706 hectares of land in Ishwardi this time.
The yield of paddy has been very good. The Department of Agricultural Extension has distributed high quality paddy seeds and fertilizers to the farmers. The Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer and the Upazila Agriculture Office are by the side of the farmers with timely advice.
