Maharashtra stares at agri crisis, drought with 40% rain in August

From June to August, Maharashtra received 658.7 millimetres of rain as against the normal 759.9 mm that amounts to 86.7 per cent.

After the initial delay, monsoon reached all parts of the state within a fortnight in June. There was change in rain pattern June and July with intense rain accompanied by hailstorms in Vidarbha, Konkan and parts of North, Marathwada and Western Maharashtra. However, poor rain in August has been a huge setback.

The normal rain estimate for August was 221.4 mm, while the rain received was only 88 mm when the state received showers for 12 days. Latur, Osmanabad, Beed, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Nandurbar, Parbhani, Jalna, Akola, Yavatmal, received short lived spells of one or two days of rain.

The long dry spell in August has set the alarms showing signs of drought like situation in parts of Marathwada, North Maharashtra and Western Maharashtra region.

The districts with worst deficit with 30 to 44 per cent less than normal rainfall are Nashik at 44.2per cent, Dhule 32.5, Nandurbar 35.5, Jalgaon 33.6, Pune 33.4, Satara 32.6, Sangli 33.2, Kolhapur 43.8, Parbhani 39.3, Aurangabad 32.1 and Jalna 32.1 per cent.

State Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde said, “With rain playing truant in the entire August, water situation in drought prone districts, especially in Marathwada region, is a cause of serious concern. The district administration along with all nodal departments are being told to work out a contingency plan. The foremost task is to ensure adequate drinking water and adequate stock of fodder for animals.”

Highly placed sources in the water resources department said, “The IMD (India Meteorogical Department) had predicted a good monsoon for the third consecutive year. Though failed rain in August was a setback, we still hope the monsoon will extend up to September and early October.” If monsoon stretches by another two months, it will help the rabi sowing season.

Coastal Konkan has received 2,369.4 mm excess rain as against the normal 2319.6 mm that amounts to 102.2 per cent. In comparison, North Maharashtra received 310 mm against normal 511 mm at 60.7 per cent. Western Maharashtra recorded 427.5 mm against normal 717.4 mm that is 59.6 per cent and Marathwada region at 372.3 mm against normal rain 469.9 mm, at 79.2 per cent. The situation in eastern and western Vidarbha is upbeat at 96.3 percent against 86.1 percent.

The statistics from the agriculture department shows area under kharif crop sown has declined 2.72 lakh hectares in 2023-24. The area under pulses has dropped by 15 per cent and oilseeds increased by two percent.

The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president and farmer leader Raju Shetti said, “Last year, farmers suffered as unseasonal rain and thunderstorm damaged the standing crops. This year, they are adversely affected by deficient rain. The state government should help farmers tide over the crisis.”

NCP working president Supriya Sule has urged the state government to declare drought and help farmers.

A senior officer in the agriculture department said on condition of anonymity, “The changed rain pattern coupled with long gap after Kharif sowing is likely to impact harvest. Food grain production could drop by 10 to 15 per cent.”

The deficit monsoon has also affected water storage in dams across Maharashtra that are a crucial source of drinking water and agriculture.

The water storage in 3,767 dams in the state is 64.37 per cent at present, against 83.60 per cent this time last year. Against the maximum storage capacity of 4,02,81,560 million litres, the present stock is 2,59,30,680 million litres.