Local labour is not enough for my sugarcane harvest. How do farmers bring migrant cane cutting gangs and what do I need to arrange for them?
How to hire migrant labour for sugarcane cutting and what should I arrange?
CCharan Singh6mo ago · 286 views
3 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓6mo ago
Sugarcane cutting is hard, skilled work and is mostly done by migrant gangs arranged through a labour contractor (mukadam or thekedar). The usual route: contact a contractor who brings teams from labour supplying regions, agree the per quintal or per tonne cutting rate well before season, and pay an advance to secure the gang for your dates, which is the normal practice. Coordinate your cutting schedule with the sugar mill calendar so cut cane reaches the mill fresh and you are not holding a gang idle. On your side, arrange the basics the gang expects: a place to stay near the field, clean drinking water, and clarity on who handles transport of cut cane. Fix the rate, scope and payment terms clearly in front of witnesses to avoid disputes later. Treat the gang fairly and the same contractor will return to you season after season, which is the real security against shortage.
RRajpal Tomar6mo ago
I deal with the same mukadam every year and give the advance early. The gang knows my fields and the mill timing now, cutting goes smoothly without arguments.
VVijaypal Saini6mo ago
Coordinating cutting with the mill slip is the key thing. Cut too early and the cane dries and loses weight before it reaches the mill. Match the gang to the mill calendar.