A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SUGARCANE HARVESTING AND ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH CONDITIONS OF LABOR FROM THAILAND AND INDIA

Abstract

This comparative research paper examines the difference between sugarcane harvesting practices in Thailand and India. The objective of research was to investigate and compare current pattern of sugar harvesting and its impact of these approaches on labor health conditions in the sugarcane industry of both countries as India and Thailand. Data were collected from target population groups (40each) from study areas, namely Kanchanaburi and Saraburi provinces in Thailand and Beed District of Maharshtra state from India. The data showed that in Thailand, mechanized harvesting was seen largely due to labor shortage and technology adoption as compared to India. In India, mechanized harvesting was seen increasing but still people are largely involved in sugarcane harvesting and it had ill effects on the overall health of female workers specially. The result clearly indicated that drastic difference in harvesting system and labor health conditions in Thailand and India.