Demand for wheat reaper machines rises across Punjab
A farmer harvests wheat on farmland outside Lahore, Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
The demand for new wheat harvesting reaper machines and other equipment has increased amid preparations for the harvesting season that is expected to start in the next few days in Punjab.
The wheat harvesting reaper machines are being manufactured at local workshops on advance orders with discount offered to farmers.
A large numbers of farmers are seen visiting different workshops to get their old wheat harvesting machines repaired and ordering new reaper machines before start of the harvesting season.
A workshop owner, Ghulam Mustafa said that the demand for reaper machines had increased as the wheat harvesting season was about to start in a few days.
He said that most of the people ordered the machines in advance in order to get the discount offered in the offseason.
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He said that a new reaper machine is being offered for Rs120,000 to Rs135,000 at the workshops and added that he has given these machines for Rs95,000 to Rs100,000 each to the farmers who had placed the orders about three months ago.
He explained that more than 20 new machines have been sold by his workshop this year, while over 35 have been repaired. A shortage of labourers has compelled local farmers to visit different workshops to get the harvesting machines.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2021.