Heatwave slows down paddy sowing in Punjab

The soaring mercury has made things difficult for farmers, with labourers “reluctant” to carry out paddy transplantation in the scorching sun.

The unfavourable weather since June 5 has also resulted in hike in labour cost.

According to farmer bodies, the paddy sowing has remained slow due to hot weather despite the government advancing the date for transplantation to June 1 this year.

Satnam Singh Behru of the Consortium of Indian Farmers Association said earlier labourers were reluctant to come to Punjab due to the India-Pakistan border conflict last month.

“Now, they have arrived in extremely hot conditions, which have hampered the paddy transplantation operations,” he said.

Behru said migrant labourers were cheaper and owing to their lean and agile physique, they worked efficiently in the muddy, waterlogged paddy fields.

“Earlier, the narrow sowing window from June 15 to mid-July used to cause a labour crunch, often leading to exploitation and inflated charges,” he added.

Kulwinder Singh, president of the PAU Kisan Club, said the advancing of the transplantation date had helped farmers securing labour without last-minute rush and that too at reasonable cost. “The soaring temperature has now proved to be a spoilsport,” he added.

“This year, the extended window allowed farmers to stagger their operations according to the availability of labour. But high temperature has yet again pushed the transplantation to June 15,” he said.

For decades, Punjab’s paddy farming has depended heavily on seasonal migrant labour, particularly from eastern Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Every year, the arrival of these workers is welcomed with great fanfare.

“During this crucial period, these migrant workers are treated like wedding guests,” said Jassa Singh, a farmer from Patiala.

“Farmers with large holdings go out of their way to make the labourers feel comfortable.This is done to ensure they don’t leave midway or go to other employers,” he said.

Beant Singh Grewal, a farmer from Ludhiana’s Alamgir area, said local workers charged between Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per acre while migrant labourers charged Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per acre, making the latter a more affordable and preferred option for farmers.

According to Jagwinder Singh, a communication department editor at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), migrant workers mostly hailed from Bihar’s Motihari, Hajipur, Begusarai, Purnia and Madhepura districts.

“These labourers are largely unskilled, landless and predominantly from the Muslim community. After completing paddy transplantation in Punjab, they often move to states like Gujarat or work in Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi during winter,” he noted.

Kesar Singh Bhangoo, former Professor of Economics at Punjabi University in Patiala, emphasised Punjab’s critical role in India’s rice production.

“Punjab has nearly 32 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation, including 6.39 lakh hectares for Basmati rice. The state contributes between 18 to 22 per cent to the central foodgrain pool,” he said.