The unseasonal rains and hailstorms in certain parts of Marathwada, Vidarbha and northern Maharashtra during the past week did not result in extensive damage to crops, as farmers had already moved into newer modes of cultivation. Last year, heavy rains and inclement weather destroyed 76,000 hectares of crop mainly grapes and onion across these regions. “This year, many farmers moved away from older cultivation methods of using canopies for grapes, while many others switched to trellising style that does not let rain water accumulate on the vines,” said Jagdish Holkar, former Chairman of Indian Grape Processing Board, adding that damage to grapes and grapevines were much less this year. Crops of onion, grapes and mangoes were only marginally affected. The impact on mango farmers is minimal as the majority of them have either plucked the fruits or are in the process of plucking them. Source - freshplaza.com