Rains Ravage: Maharashtra's Agricultural Crisis

Unseasonal rains and hailstorms have caused significant agricultural damage in Maharashtra, impacting over 2.05 lakh hectares. The worst-hit areas include Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, and Dhule. Farmers of various crops including cereals, pulses, and cash crops face severe losses, with relief measures pending government evaluation.

Unseasonal rains and hailstorms have wreaked havoc on agriculture across 29 districts in Maharashtra, impacting over 2.05 lakh hectares of farmland. Officials from the agriculture department disclosed that between March and early April, extensive crop damage was recorded, with 1.22 lakh hectares affected in the latter half of March and another 82,704 hectares in early April.

Severely hit areas include Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, and Dhule, alongside substantial losses in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Buldhana. Parts of Pune, Solapur, Sangli, and Jalna districts, as well as the Vidarbha, Konkan, and Marathwada regions, have also suffered.

The damage spans a myriad of crops ranging from cereals such as wheat, maize, and jowar to cash crops like onion. Farmers cultivating bananas, mangoes, grapes, pomegranates, and various vegetables have also endured significant losses. Preliminary assessments form the basis of these reports, with detailed surveys underway, determining relief and compensation after final reports are compiled.

(With inputs from agencies.)