S Ramesh
MYSURU: Paddy harvesting in the twin districts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar has been delayed due to the non-availability of harvester machines in adequate numbers.
Paddy had been cultivated on 95,000 hectares in Mysuru district and 26,390 hectares in Chamarajanagar district. About 10 lakh metric tonnes of paddy yield is expected during this season, from both districts.
Though the paddy is ready for harvest since the first week of December, a large number of farmers said that they could not harvest their crop due to a lack of paddy harvester machines.
Heavy rain caused waterlogging on paddy fields last month, due to which a majority of farmers could not harvest their paddy, and were forced to wait till the rainwater drained from their fields, so that the paddy harvester machine could reach their fields.
As the government has not introduced paddy harvester machines under the Krishi Yantra Dhare units, whereby farmers can hire such machines at subsidised prices, paddy growers were forced to hire paddy harvester machines brought from different districts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu through commission agents, in the twin districts, but they nearly doubled their rental prices this year, forcing farmers to pay more to hire the machines.
“As against Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,400 last year, for different types of paddy harvester machines, machine operators are now charging Rs 2,200 to Rs 3,000 per hour this year. Moreover, they are reluctant to harvest paddy on wet fields. Right since the paddy is sown, until harvesting, due to unseasonal rain, growers are forced to incur losses. If the hike is Rs 100 or Rs 200 per hour, charges are nominal, and farmers are ready to pay, but they demand Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 extra per hour, citing hike in fuel prices, maintenance cost, labour charges, which are added woes for farmers,” said Kiragasur Shankar, a paddy farmer in T Narasipura taluk.
Joint director of agriculture Dr Mahantheshappa said that the issue of commission agents of paddy harvester machines demanding more rental charges was sorted out at a meeting chaired by the deputy commissioner in his office on Thursday.
“The district administration has fixed Rs 1,800 per hour for a tyre paddy harvester machine, and Rs 2,600 per hour for a chain type of paddy harvester machine, as this type of machine can harvest paddy even if water is not drained from paddy fields. Farmers can file complaints against machine operators at the nearest agriculture office or raitha Samparka kendras, if a higher rent is demanded,” he said.
MYSURU: Paddy harvesting in the twin districts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar has been delayed due to the non-availability of harvester machines in adequate numbers.
Paddy had been cultivated on 95,000 hectares in Mysuru district and 26,390 hectares in Chamarajanagar district. About 10 lakh metric tonnes of paddy yield is expected during this season, from both districts.
Though the paddy is ready for harvest since the first week of December, a large number of farmers said that they could not harvest their crop due to a lack of paddy harvester machines.
Heavy rain caused waterlogging on paddy fields last month, due to which a majority of farmers could not harvest their paddy, and were forced to wait till the rainwater drained from their fields, so that the paddy harvester machine could reach their fields.
As the government has not introduced paddy harvester machines under the Krishi Yantra Dhare units, whereby farmers can hire such machines at subsidised prices, paddy growers were forced to hire paddy harvester machines brought from different districts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu through commission agents, in the twin districts, but they nearly doubled their rental prices this year, forcing farmers to pay more to hire the machines.
“As against Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,400 last year, for different types of paddy harvester machines, machine operators are now charging Rs 2,200 to Rs 3,000 per hour this year. Moreover, they are reluctant to harvest paddy on wet fields. Right since the paddy is sown, until harvesting, due to unseasonal rain, growers are forced to incur losses. If the hike is Rs 100 or Rs 200 per hour, charges are nominal, and farmers are ready to pay, but they demand Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 extra per hour, citing hike in fuel prices, maintenance cost, labour charges, which are added woes for farmers,” said Kiragasur Shankar, a paddy farmer in T Narasipura taluk.
Joint director of agriculture Dr Mahantheshappa said that the issue of commission agents of paddy harvester machines demanding more rental charges was sorted out at a meeting chaired by the deputy commissioner in his office on Thursday.
“The district administration has fixed Rs 1,800 per hour for a tyre paddy harvester machine, and Rs 2,600 per hour for a chain type of paddy harvester machine, as this type of machine can harvest paddy even if water is not drained from paddy fields. Farmers can file complaints against machine operators at the nearest agriculture office or raitha Samparka kendras, if a higher rent is demanded,” he said.
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