Cheap labour from West Bengal brings cheer to Ranipet farmers

RANIPET: Farmers in Ranipet breathed a sigh of relief when they found that migrant labourers from West Bengal were ready to undertake paddy transplanting at cheap rates in the district. A group of 18 persons including nine women from West Bengal came to Siruvalayam village in Ne- mili taluk through a Chennai-based contractor, according to Subash Naidu of the village.

As there is a dearth in farm labourers and using machinery proving costly, the arrival of migrant labour was welcomed by local farmers. “Though they do not know the language they know what they have to do and have worked consistently over the last two days,” said Arjunan, another farmer.

“Using migrant labour is cheaper than employing locals who demand more and ask for additional incentives,” Subash Naidu said. “We pay them Rs 4,500 per acre to transplant seedlings from the nursery to the field. On Tuesday they covered 4 acres earning a total of Rs 18,000 which works to Rs 1,000 per head per day. Unlike locals even men participate in transplanting,” he said.

“Their arrival of migrants resulted in farmers from neighbouring areas coming to watch them work and once satisfied, wanted them to be sent over to their fields also,” another farmer added. “Local labourers charge Rs 5,500 per acre and work only from around 7 am whereas the migrants start work at 6 am,” Naidu said. “They need to be given only gas cylinders for which they pay while they have their own stoves. I also provide them with rice bags.

Other than that they demand nothing compared to locals who if employed need to be provided liquor at the end of the day in addition to taking many breaks. If they work for a large acreage, they also demand non-vegetarian food which migrants do not seek,” he said. At least four farmers have ex- pressed interest in employing them once work on my farm is completed which will enable each migrant to go home with more than Rs 40,000 each.