Agri ministry for easing movement of labourers for harvesting

The agriculture ministry has urged its field officials to make smooth the movements of seasonal labourers to be engaged in paddy harvesting during the upcoming Boro season in the country’s haor regions, maintaining the health rules to contain the spread of COVID-19, reports news agency BSS.

“It’s time to harvest Boro paddy. Seasonal labourers from different parts of the country, including North Bengal, will start coming to the haor regions. So, all concerned have been requested to smooth the traveling and movements of the labourers following the health guidelines,” said the agriculture ministry in a press release on Thursday.

The ministry urged the field level officials of the Agriculture Extension Department to implement and follow the directives to continue the production and marketing of agricultural goods, including harvesting of paddy, during the general holidays.

It also urged the officials to follow the government directives to protect their health and that of the farmers and labourers reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission during the paddy harvesting and movements.

According to the Agriculture Extension Department, this year’s target of yielding Boro rice is around 20.4 million tonnes while the haor regions produce 20 per cent of the total production.