Migrant labourers roped in as harvester delay threatens paddy crop in Perumbavoor

Perumbavoor: Farmers at the Vengola Thenkulangara polders are facing mounting losses as fully ripened paddy continues to shed and go to waste due to the non-availability of a harvester machine.

They have been awaiting the arrival of the machine since Sunday. However, the delay in harvesting fully ripened paddy has pushed cultivation across three and a half acres into crisis. A portion of the land is being cultivated on lease by Raju Thundathil, along with other farmers. If the delay continues and the crop keeps shedding grains, farmers fear heavy financial losses.

Although the owner of a harvester reached the fields on Sunday evening, he left after pointing out that the approach road was too narrow to unload the machine. Alarmed by the mounting losses, Airampuram Special Village Officer E A Sanu has arranged for a couple of migrant workers and initiated manual harvesting.

However, harvesting with just two workers is expected to take several days. If a harvester remains unavailable, the farmers have decided to engage more migrant workers to complete the harvest.