Banke farmers harvesting paddy

By Siraj Khan

Nepalgunj, Oct. 20: Farmers in Banke are now busy harvesting paddy using modern machines.

With the end of the monsoon and favourable weather conditions, farmers in the district have intensified their paddy harvesting activities.

Fearing that the year’s hard work may go to waste if the paddy is not harvested on time, farmers are working in the fields from morning till evening.

In recent times, many farmers have started harvesting paddy, separating grains, cleaning them, and removing straw using modern technology machines.

Loknath Burma, a farmer from Nepalgunj, Banke, said that he is busy harvesting paddy with a combine harvester, which can cut the crop, separate the grains, clean them, and remove straw simultaneously.

He said that after the introduction of the machine, harvesting rice has become much easier, as it can instantly do the work that used to take many people a long time, making the process convenient despite the initial investment.

Saying that many villagers have come to rent the machine after seeing its efficiency, he added that it had proved very useful.

“This machine harvests rice, threshes the grains, separates straw and dust, cleans the grains, and collects them in a tank inside. This has made the work very easy and simple, as the farmer does not have to do anything manually,” he said.

Similarly, some farmers from Khajura, Kohalpur, and Duduwa in the district have also brought such machines and are now harvesting rice, according to the Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Banke.

Sunauli Tharu, a farmer from Binauna in Raptisonari Rural Municipality–5, said that most farmers, including herself, are waking up early in the morning and working in the fields until evening to complete the rice harvest.

Farmers have reported a shortage of labourers in some areas amid the rush to bring in the harvest where machines are not available.

They said that the number of farmers harvesting rice using machines is increasing due to the shortage of workers. As Tihar has begun and Chhath is approaching, farmers are working to store rice at home as soon as possible so they can celebrate the festivals, according to the Centre.

According to the Centre, paddy has been cultivated on 36,500 hectares of land in Banke this year. 

Photo: Banke farmers harvesting paddy from modern machines.