Labour Shortage Slows Paddy Transplantation in Haryana

23-Jul-2025 12:46 PM

Paddy transplantation in Haryana has been significantly delayed due to a shortage of migrant workers. By mid-July, only 80 percent of the targeted area had been transplanted, even though the process is typically completed by this time. Many farmers are still struggling to find labor for the remaining fields.

For the current season, the Haryana Agriculture Department set a paddy cultivation target of 13.97 lakh hectares, lower than the three-year average of 16.67 lakh hectares. However, labor shortages have further impacted the progress, restricting transplantation to just 80 percent of the targeted area so far.

Agriculture in Haryana relies heavily on migrant workers, primarily from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who assist in key farming activities like sowing, transplantation, and harvesting. It’s estimated that about 70 percent of the state’s agricultural workforce comprises migrant laborers.

This year, paddy transplantation officially began on June 15. Typically, the entire process is completed within a month. However, by the third week of July, about 20 percent of the work remains.

Farmers noted that early transplantation in neighboring Punjab, which began unusually on June 1, likely attracted many workers before they could reach Haryana. Additionally, fewer workers have migrated from Bihar to both Punjab and Haryana this season, worsening the labor shortage.