Paddy growers look for migrants at Ambala Cantt railway station

Nitish Sharma

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Ambala, June 10

As paddy sowing is all set to begin from June 15, labourers and farmers can be seen waiting and negotiating the wages outside the Ambala Cantonment railway station.

Farmers from different districts of Haryana and Punjab are reaching Ambala Cantonment to hire migrant workforce for their respective fields.

Hari Kishore (40), a labourer from Bihar who reached with a group of nine persons at the Ambala Cantonment railway station, said: “For the past several years, we go to Punjab for paddy transplantation. Though we also have our own marginal lands in Bihar, poor returns and lack of other work opportunities force us to travel to Punjab. If we get good opportunities there who will travel hundreds of kilometres in overcrowded trains to work in the scorching heat.”

Another labourer Bindu (48) said: “I am doing this work for more than 30 years. This year, we are seeking over Rs 4,500 per acre, but the farmers will negotiate and let’s see where it gets settled. Once a rate is fixed, the entire village then pays the same amount. I hope I will manage to save around Rs 15,000 this time. Back home, it is getting quite tough to make ends meet.”

Sucha Singh, a farmer who reached Ambala from the Assandh block of Karnal, said: “I am looking for some migrant labourers for my field. Those who are sitting here are heading towards Punjab. While last year, the labourers charged Rs 2,500 per acre, this time I am yet to finalise a deal with them.”

Another farmer from Punjab Sukhvinder Singh said: “The cost of production, including of labour, fertiliser and weedicides, is increasing continuously but the returns aren’t in the same ratio.”

Meanwhile, Rajiv Sharma, spokesman, BKU (Charuni), said: “The cost of labour has increased further this year. While the farmers had paid Rs 2,700-3,200 per acre in 2021, the labourers are seeking over Rs 3,500 per acre this year. The Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique is a cheaper option but excessive weeds have been a major issue. The farmers are forced to spend extra money to control the weeds.”

Government nudging farmers to opt for DSR

Nearly 86,000 is covered under the paddy crop in Ambala every year. The government has been motivating the farmers and providing aid to adopt the DSR technique as it requires lesser water, labour and power. — Dr Girish Nagpal, DDA, Ambala

Labour cost has risen

The cost of labour has increased this year. While the farmers had paid Rs 2.7K-Rs 3.2K per acre in 2021, the labourers are seeking over Rs 3.5K per acre this year. The DSR technique is a cheaper option but excessive weeds have been a major issue. — Rajiv Sharma, spokesman, BKU (Charuni)