LAKKI MARWAT: The district administration has fixed the per hour rates of wheat threshing in Bannu, asking the owners of thresher machines to implement the notified rates or face action.

An official said that many farmers did not own agricultural machinery and they used thresher machines on rent to thresh their harvested wheat crop.

He said that the demand for thresher machines increased as soon as the harvesting season came to an end and farmers finalised preparations to separate grain from crop. “The owners of such machines provide the thresher facility to growers on per hour rates of their own will,” he maintained.

The official said that the decision to fix per hour rates of wheat threshing was made when Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Afridi received complaints against the owners of thresher machines.

He said that the new rates had been fixed in consultation with the officials of agriculture department, office-bearers of farmers’ bodies and owners of tractors.

He said that the owners of thresher machines using Fiat tractors would receive Rs4,000 per hour while those using Russian tractors to run thresher machines would charge farmers at Rs4,400 per hour. He said that the owners of thresher machines overcharging farmers would face stern legal action.

The official asked the growers to lodge complaints with the administration in case the owners of thresher machines violated official rates.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023