Udupi paddy growers worried over high rents

WITH the Udupi district receiving bountiful rains, paddy farming activities have commenced across the district.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Udupi

While the fields are beginning to turn green with new saplings, several farmers are opting to contract out the paddy cultivation work, primarily to avoid the hassle of arranging their own laborers and agricultural machinery.

In many parts of the district, the transplantation work is being carried out by laborers brought in from Haveri and other districts. They are charging around Rs 4,500 per acre for transplanting paddy saplings.

However, despite this outsourcing trend easing labor-related problems, there is another challenge regarding the timely availability and affordability of machinery for rent.