Farmers are bracing for a difficult Kharif season amid unseasonal rainfall, rising costs and the possibility of fertiliser shortages amid the Iran war. The recently concluded Rabi harvest season was marred by challenges as heavy rain and hailstorms damaged both standing and harvested crops across Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced assistance and financial support for affected farmers on Sunday.
“The state government is sensitive to farmers’ problems. Unseasonal rain and hailstorms have affected rabi crops across 29 districts. Preliminary reports point to crop loss in five lakh hectares. The assessment process is still underway,” Indian Express quoted Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne as saying.
Financial strain amid damage to rabi harvest
According to reports, farmers who went for delayed rabi sowing have lost their standing crops due to rain and hailstorms in March and April. The crops impacted included wheat, jowar and harbara, and fruits such as grapes, bananas and mangoes.
Officials had said a couple of days ago that the impact has been severe in north Maharashtra and parts of western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha, affecting over 82,000 farmers.The worst-hit districts include Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, Dhule, Buldhana and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where standing and harvested Rabi crops have suffered large-scale damage.
Crops ready for harvest such as wheat, gram, jowar and bajra have been flattened in several places, while fruit orchards including grapes, pomegranate and mango witnessed heavy fruit drop.
Hot summer, delayed monsoon on forecast
Preparations for the upcoming Kharif season are also in jeopardy as weather forecasters predict an ‘intensely’ hot summer and delayed monsoon. The recent spate of rain and hailstorm across the western state has also ruined produce and hindered work for the upcoming harvest — adding to the financial stress faced by farmers.
The Kharif season also affects a wider expanse of land with sowing (from early June) projected in 152 lakh hectares. In contrast the rabi season in Maharashtra had sowing restricted to 65 lakh hectares. It is the mainstay for farmers — especially small and marginal categories who account for 78% of the agriculture sector.
“Farmers should have easy access to bank loans by early May. If they are denied crop loan, they will be driven to private money lenders. And this will lead to greater financial stress in Vidarbha and Marathwada region,” a farmer leader from Vidarbha told Indian Express.
Iran war impact
The ongoing West Asia conflict has also affected farmers — with exports being delayed or cancelled in many cases. transport and labour costs have increased, and there is also a decline in price since the produce is going to domestic markets. The Strait of Hormuz (a critical waterway for oil supplies) closure and missile strikes, which damaged gas and energy facilities across the Middle East, have also impacted supplies. Fuel costs have increased sharply and there are also growing concerns about a shortage of fertilisers and other materials.
Union Minister JP Nadda met with state officials last week to review fertiliser availability amid the Iran war. Global supply chains have been severely impacted due toongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East— a key region for fertiliser imports and raw materials. According to an ANI report, the Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister assured states of full support amid the widening war.
Sources told ANI that Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also met Nadda in Parliament to assess the situation and coordinate necessary actions. The lawmaker had assured during a press briefing last Wednesday that the agriculture sector and farmers would not be adversely affected. Chouhan stated that adequate stocks of seeds and fertilisers were available for the upcoming Kharif season.
Additional Secretary Maninder Kaur Dwivedi said on Thursday that seed availability was in surplus of 19.29 lakh quintals against the estimated requirement of 166.46 lakh quintals. She added that the fertiliser requirement for Kharif crops stands at 390.52 LMT — out of which around 46% (180 LMT) was already available as opening stock.