SWABI: The local farmers have said that they will be unable to complete harvesting and threshing process of wheat crop in Ramazan as agricultural workers demand high wages.

The leaders of the growers said that a construction worker got Rs650 per day but an agricultural worker demanded Rs1,000 to Rs 1,200 per day for harvesting crop.

They said that daily wagers were exploiting the farmers, who were in a hurry to finish the entire process before start of rain because it damaged their yield.

“I visited the market for last two days but none of the daily wagers was ready to come with me for harvesting at Rs700 per day,” said Riaz Khan of Maneri Bala village.

However, the workers said that harvesting was a difficult task and their demand for the wage was justified.

It was not easy to work in the field of wheat crop for several hours in the hot summer, they added.

Ahmad Ali of Maini village said that he had entered in a deal with a farmer and it was decided that he would be paid Rs4,500 for harvesting a four-kanal wheat field.

The owner of a wheat harvesting machine takes Rs3,000 per hour but farmers don’t prefer the machine, saying they are not satisfy with its work because it can’t cut the crop at the bottom and causes a loss to them because they need straw for the cattle.

Khalid Khan, the district president of Kisan Board, when contacted, said that no mechanism was devised by the government in that regard. All the workers and farmers entered in an independent bargain for harvesting, he added.

SUICIDE: A woman committed suicide by hanging herself in Gandaf village of Gadoon Amazai on Sunday, according to police.

They said that the cause of the incident was domestic issues.

Meanwhile, a man identified as Mohammad Ibrar was killed in Marghuz village allegedly by his rivals on Sunday. The cause of the murder is stated to be old enmity.

Zaida police station lodged FIR against Zuljamil and Sher Ghani.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2021