Himachal agriculture dept fixes rates for sowing, harvesting, threshing of crops in Hamirpur

Hamirpur (HP), Dec 9 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh agriculture department has fixed rates for sowing, harvesting and threshing of crops in Hamirpur district, to prevent arbitrary charging of small farmers.

Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department, Hamirpur, Shashipal Atri, said that following persistent complaints from small farmers, the district administration was compelled to fix the sowing rates through tractors.

He said that in many areas of the district, there were complaints of charging arbitrary prices for sowing, threshing, and cutting by tractors and other equipment, and in view of this, the rates for these works have been determined and approved by the Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur.

The rate of tractor ploughing and sowing has been fixed at Rs 1,200 per hour. The rate for ploughing with a rotavator is Rs 1,320 per hour, while the rate for harvesting and threshing was fixed at Rs 1,320 per hour, Atri said on Tuesday.

Besides, sowing with a power tiller would cost Rs 500 per hour, harvesting with a reaper would be Rs 1,300 per hour, and harvesting with a brush cutter would cost Rs 400 per hour, he added.

Notably, the tractor owners were charging around Rs 2,000 per hour for tractor ploughing and sowing and similarly for sowing with power tillers, Rs 1,500 per hour and harvesting with brush cutters, Rs 600 per hour.

Atri said that strict action will be taken against the drivers who charge more than the prescribed amount. PTI COR BPL DRR