Marathwada has emerged as the region in Maharashtra worst affected by the prolonged dry spell, with the lack of rainfall hampering the growth of Kharif crops and raising the spectre of large-scale crop damage if the monsoon does not revive soon; agriculture department officials said.
A senior agriculture department official, requesting anonymity, said, “In many parts of the region, crops such as soybean, cotton and maize have shown stunted growth due to the lack of rainfall. The leaves have turned yellow while insect infestation is adding to the farmers’ woes. If the region does not receive adequate rainfall in the next 10 days, there could be large-scale damage to crops”.
Marathwada comprises eight districts — Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Hingoli, Dharashiv, Latur, Parbhani, Beed and Jalna.
“Districts such as Beed, Latur, Hingoli and Dharashiv have received scanty rainfall, with some areas witnessing rain on only about three days during the entire month of August. Farmers across the region are distressed,” said another agriculture department official also on condition of anonymity.
The total area under Kharif cultivation in Marathwada is over 46.05 lakh hectares, with sowing completed on more than 93% of the area. Marathwada normally receives around 670 mm of rainfall between June and September which is crucial for the growth of Kharif crops. However, the region has so far received only 57% of its normal rainfall, the lowest among Maharashtra’s six revenue regions.
{{/usCountry}}The total area under Kharif cultivation in Marathwada is over 46.05 lakh hectares, with sowing completed on more than 93% of the area. Marathwada normally receives around 670 mm of rainfall between June and September which is crucial for the growth of Kharif crops. However, the region has so far received only 57% of its normal rainfall, the lowest among Maharashtra’s six revenue regions.
{{/usCountry}}“There are around 25 lakh farmers in the Marathwada region, and a sizeable number could be affected if the standing crops suffer extensive damage,” officials said.
State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne admitted that the protracted absence of rainfall has affected the growth of Kharif crops in several parts of Maharashtra.
“Apart from Marathwada, parts of Vidarbha and western Maharashtra have also been affected due to poor rainfall in August. The deficient rainfall last month was due to the impact of El Niño. Our department officials are closely monitoring the situation,” Bharne told Hindustan Times, adding that there are chances of a revival of the monsoon this month.
Maharashtra itself has received only 50% of its normal August rainfall (261 mm), with the Marathwada and Amravati regions recording the lowest rainfall during the month.
Against this backdrop, the opposition has demanded that the state government announce a relief package for farmers affected by the continued dry spell. Former Congress MLA from Latur rural, Dhiraj Deshmukh, has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, drawing the latter’s attention to the distress faced by and worsening situation of farmers across the state.
Agriculture officials said Marathwada is particularly vulnerable because unlike some other regions of Maharashtra, it lacks extensive, assured irrigation facilities that allow farmers to draw water from dams for crop cultivation.
“We have been advising farmers to use drip irrigation wherever possible. However, several water sources, including wells and local ponds, have virtually dried up. Farmers are therefore unable to draw sufficient water even from these sources,” said a third agriculture department official.