Shortage of labourers hit paddy farming in Amritsar

Farmers in Amritsar are facing problems in paddy plantation due to shortage of labour, following mass exodus of migrant labourers across the country due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Gurbachan Singh, a local paddy farmer told , "There is a shortage of labourers as the government sent back the migrant workers without proper planning."

According to Punjab Agriculture Secretary KS Pannu, some farmers have started to use new technology to cope with the shortage.

"Farmers have sown paddy at around 5 lakh hectare land with Direct Seeding of Rice technology this year. Some farmers, however, shifted back to the puddling method for cultivation as they could not adapt to the technology," Pannu told .

Earlier in May, the Punjab government spent more than Rs 6 crore to fund the movement of migrants and helped 1.10 lakh stranded migrants in the state to reach their native states in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

( With inputs from ANI )