Udupi: Reaping Quick Rewards - Mechanized Paddy Harvesters Boost Efficiency

By Inchara - Kaup
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)

Udupi, Dec 1:  This year, mechanized harvesters are being extensively used in farming activities by peasants in the coastal district who are engaged in paddy cultivation instead of depending on manual labourers.

The majority of farmers who have grown paddy on plateaus across undivided Dakshina Kannada district have taken an earnest interest in mechanized harvesters this year.

The farmers prefer the mechanized harvesters that can harvest the crop, separate the paddy, and fill it in sacks.  A mechanized harvester takes 30–45 minutes to harvest one acre.  The harvester that does the job of 30–40 farmhands in an hour has been causing unemployment in remote villages.  The farmers are relieved of have to pay daily wages to farmhands, five measures of rice, tea and snacks twice a day and Rs 20 in cash to each.

The farmers who have grown paddy in plains have to depend on farmhands since harvesters cannot maneuver in paddy crop grown in stagnant water. The farmers who were previously worried about transporting paddy in the past, are increasingly availing the services of mechanized harvesters. Some farmers fear that the mechanized harvesters will damage the hay during the harvest. The farmers are looking for help from technocrats in designing a loader that can store the hay in the existing harvester, informed sources.