NASHIK: Unseasonal rains accompanied by hail storms that lashed parts of Nashik district on Monday have damaged standing crops such as onion, tomato and wheat and cash crops like grapes and pomegranates, district revenue officials said on Tuesday.

"Parts of the district received heavy rainfall accompanied by hail storms and thunder that claimed the life of a bullock in Malegaon taluka and affected crops in some of the talukas. The orders to carry out panchanama of the damaged crops have been given. The picture is likely to be clear in the next few days," said Jitendra Kakusthe, resident deputy collector.

Talukas such as Nashik, Igatpuri, Malegaon, Nandgaon, Satana, Kalwan, Baglan, Surgana and Niphad received rainfall and thunder storms on Monday evening. In all, the district received total rainfall of 26.4 mm.

"It is about time to harvest rabbi crop. The crops are fully laden and mature. At some places, harvesting at grape and pomegranate orchards was about to begin. The unseasonal rainfall from January 21 to 23 also caused extensive damage in the district," said Sanjeev Patil, a farmer from the Kalwan taluka, which recorded the heaviest rainfall at 15.2 mm.

Heavy rainfall between January 21 and 23 had damaged crops on over 4,000 hectares of land across Nandgaon, Kalwan, Baglan and Yeola talukas. The estimated loss was Rs 29 crore. Altogether 20 villages in Nandgaon were affected, as crops on 2,378 of land were damaged. "No other damage to life and property was reported from the district. As far as crop damage is concerned, the agriculture and revenue departments will carry out joint survey to ascertain the damage," Kakusthe said.

According to the officials, the damage is likely to be in crores considering the fact that the crops were ready for harvesting.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/