As Telangana polls are fast nearing, farm labourers are not to be seen working in the fields anymore as mechanisation has taken over harvest this year. Reason? The labourers are busy joining campaign rallies of different political parties in the fray.
In Chevella constituency, for instance, harvesters are being used to reap paddy in small farm lands of two to 10 acres of land.
Moreover, as most manned harvesting vehicles are booked for the karif season which has coincided with the polls, landed farmers have turned to the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu to help them reap.
In Gangeda village of Chevella constituency N. Venkataiah who cultivated nine acres of paddy said he employed a Tamil harvesting vehicle for the season to finish reaping, winnowing and stalking paddy before elections conclude.
“If we wait for farm labour we will suffer losses this season. We are committed to delivering the crop to merchants and cannot wait for labourers to return after polls,” Mr. Venkataiah told The Hindu.
But to the surprise of landed farmers, the harvesting vehicles have reduced the costs considerably. While most harvesters are manned vehicles that can harvest and winnow at least five acres of paddy every day, landed farmers said their costs by 70 per cent. “To employ four labourers we pay at least ₹10,000 per acre. Now with the vehicle we spend only ₹ 2,600 to ₹3,000 per acre of land to be harvested,” a Chevella based farmer Anjaneyalu explained.
According to the farmers, in farm lands which are over 10 acres of land harvesting vehicles were used even during the previous years.
“But this year in areas including Chevella, Moinabad, Nawabpet and Vikarabad harvesters are being used by most landed farmers who cannot afford to wait for the conclusion of elections,” Mr. Anjaneyalu who also cultivates paddy in Moinabad said.
Farm labourers will be available only after campaigning ends, landed farmers of Chevella predicted.