Farmers in two Maharashtra talukas report crop losses after drought-list exclusion

Farmers in Maharashtra’s Mudkhed and Mukhed talukas say they have suffered crop losses after the areas were excluded from the state’s drought-hit list. The two talukas in Nanded district recorded 94.2% and 86.6% of normal rainfall respectively between June and September 30, according to official data from Automatic Weather Stations. The figures meant they did not meet the technical criteria used to classify drought-affected areas.

Farmers, however, said rainfall was uneven and that wells had run dry. Vilas Mugat, a banana and soybean farmer from Mudkhed, said he had lost banana crops for two consecutive years. He said his current crop was drying because his well no longer had water.

Mugat said he had invested ₹5 lakh in eight acres of banana cultivation and expected income of ₹10-12 lakh. Balaji Kusumwad of Mukhed said deficient rainfall during August and September had damaged soybean during its flowering period. The state government recently identified 265 of Maharashtra’s 358 talukas as drought-affected under a resolution that triggered relief measures.

The resolution covered 74 of Marathwada’s 76 talukas, leaving Mudkhed and Mukhed outside the list. Nanded District Collector Rahul Kardile said the talukas failed to satisfy criteria involving rainfall deviation and a three-week dry spell. He said rainfall was high in July, fell sharply in August and was absent in September, but small intervening showers broke the required dry-spell pattern.

Kardile said a subcommittee would conduct ground verification. Farmers also questioned the reliability of weather stations and called for their inspection. Some reported heavy borrowing and concern over their ability to repay loans after the crop failures.