Daijiworld Media Network - Colva
Colva, Jun 28: The revival of the monsoon after weeks of delayed rainfall has brought much-needed relief to paddy farmers across Goa's Salcete region, creating favourable conditions for transplantation. However, the return of rain has also exposed a familiar challenge — an acute shortage of skilled labour needed for the time-sensitive transplantation process.
Three days after steady rainfall resumed, farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure experienced workers to transplant paddy saplings into waterlogged fields. While those who retained labourers during the pre-monsoon period have managed to begin operations on schedule, many others are struggling to find available workers amid peak demand.
Varca-based farmer Francis Colaco said the delayed arrival of the monsoon prompted several women labourers to return to their native villages to work on their own agricultural lands.
According to Colaco, most of the workers have informed him that they will need at least another week to complete farming activities in their villages before returning to Goa. He added that the workers currently available in the state have already been engaged by other farmers, making it difficult to arrange labour at short notice.
Another farmer said demand for experienced transplanting teams has become so high that workers are now being booked well in advance. Some groups are also seeking higher wages from farmers willing to secure their services earlier.
Traditionally, paddy transplantation is carried out by groups of six to eight women who move from one field to another. Farmers said the usual wage is around Rs 700 per worker for a day's work. However, with demand at its peak during the transplantation season, some labour groups are reportedly charging up to Rs 900 per day without extending their working hours, which generally run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Blair Rodrigues, president of the Carmona Farmers' Club, said the recurring labour shortage underscores the need to accelerate mechanisation in paddy cultivation.
He noted that mechanised transplantation offers several advantages, including faster operations, greater precision, reduced dependence on manual labour and improved profitability for farmers. While acknowledging that some cultivators have already adopted modern equipment, Rodrigues said a large section of farmers continues to rely on traditional manual transplantation methods, which are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain amid persistent labour shortages.