The heavy monsoon this year has led to standing crop loss on eight lakh hectares of land in Maharashtra as of the end of the third week of July, according to sources in the agriculture department. Although the crop loss is scattered and restricted to a few districts, it is likely to increase with continued rains, they added.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rain for the next seven days in Vidarbha, Marathwada and parts of northern Maharashtra. The coastal Konkan, which got a respite from incessant rain for the past seven days, is once again set to receive light to moderate rainfall. The forecast for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar is similar.

A senior officer in the agriculture ministry said: “In some districts and talukas which were flooded, agriculture fields have been badly ruined. Soil erosion is expected in several parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.”

The Kharif sowing this year is expected on 152 lakh hectares. Although the monsoon arrived in June, the rain was not consistent. The long spell of missing rain was not conducive for sowing. As a result, the agriculture ministry issued a caution to farmers not to rush sowing unless they receive adequate rains.

The early rains in July helped farmers to take to the fields. But after sowing, the rains, coupled with floods, played havoc ruining the crops.

In the Vidarbha region where farmers cultivate soyabean and cotton, districts affected by the rains include Bhandara, Gondia, Wardha, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nagpur, Amravati, Yavatmal and Buldhana. In Marathwada, the districts hit worst by rain are Nanded, Hingoli, Latur and Beed.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the administration to conduct panchanamas to ascertain the damage and evaluate compensation for farmers.

However, field officials in Krishi Kendra said: ” In some districts, village connectivity has snapped. Making it difficult to tour those places.” With monsoons likely to spill till August end or early September, land under crop loss is expected to cross eight lakhs.

To enable farmers to cope with natural calamities the district authorities have been directed to make provision for surplus seeds and fertilisers in cases where farmers have to undertake removal before July end. The financial institutions have been asked to release crop loans to eligible farmers without delay to enable them to cope with the financial burden.

Source - https://indianexpress.com