Unseasonal rains and hailstorms are back in action in Maharashtra. After causing massive damage to kharif crops, now rabi cultivation along with grapes and mango have suffered in the last few days because of massive rains and hailstorms. Tur has been damaged in almost all parts of the State due to massive rains in the last three days. Districts in Vidarbha and Marathwada have huge tracts under tur cultivation and farmers are expecting better returns this season. However, rains have damaged tur, wheat and orange in Nagpur, Amravati, and Wardha according to the reports.Unseasonalrainsin September and October this year affected tur production in Latur and other districts of Marathwada by at least 20 per cent.

Nashik, the hub of onion and grapes in Maharashtra, received massive rains in some parts which have damaged onion and grapes ready for the market. Grape growers estimate that the loss would be in crores as many farmers cultivate export quality grapes. Even in parts of the Pune district grape cultivation has been damaged by rains. In December last year, the State Grape Growers Association had estimated that grape cultivation over 2 lakh acres had been damaged incurring an estimated loss of Rs 10,000 crore to grape cultivators.Now, fresh rains have added to the damage according to grape growers.

In Dhule and Nandubar districts wheat, jowar, and maize tracts are damaged due to rains.

Raining all seasons

“ In the last one-yearunseasonalrainshave disturbed the cultivation and marketing cycle and farmers are not even able to recover the production cost.Now with new restrictions because of Covid-19 and uncertainty in the market, farmers are already worried. Few more rain and majority of rabi crop would be destroyed” said Habib Pathan from Beed.

Rising distress

According to reports, 356 farmers ended their lives in the Amravati district in 2021. Experts say that other districts in the region would have a similar trend of farmers ending lives. As unseasonal rains are hitting the region once again, farmers have demanded that the State government must provide a helping hand to farmers.

comment COMMENT NOW