Farmers in Maharashtra are facing significant challenges as they prepare for the upcoming khariff season, which begins in June, following unseasonal rains that severely impacted the rabi season. The preparations for khariff have already been complicated by rain and hailstorms affecting 29 districts throughout the state, exacerbating the financial difficulties for farmers.<\/p>\n
State Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne addressed the situation on Sunday, stating, “The government is aware of the issues faced by farmers. The recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms have damaged rabi crops in 29 districts, with initial estimates indicating losses across five lakh hectares. The evaluation process is ongoing.”<\/p>\n
In contrast to the rabi season, which saw sowing limited to 65 lakh hectares, the khariff season is expected to cover 152 lakh hectares, commencing in early June. This season is crucial for farmers, particularly small and marginal ones, who represent 78 percent of the agricultural sector.<\/p>\n
Vijay Jawandhia, a farmer leader from Vidarbha, emphasized the importance of timely access to bank loans, urging that farmers should have straightforward access by early May. He warned that any denial of crop loans could push them towards private lenders, thereby increasing financial strain in Vidarbha and Marathwada.<\/p>\n
Jawandhia also called for the swift distribution of the crop loss waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh, which was announced by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the budget session. “Should farmers be unable to repay debts, financial institutions may refuse future loan applications. The government also needs to introduce a new crop insurance policy that covers losses from natural disasters,” he added.<\/p>\n
Farmers who delayed sowing during the rabi season have suffered losses due to the adverse weather conditions in March and April, affecting crops such as wheat, jowar, and harbara, as well as fruits like grapes, bananas, and mangoes.<\/p>\n
Raju Shetti, president of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, urged the state government to provide financial support to farmers who have lost crops in both the 2025 khariff and 2026 rabi seasons. He pointed out that while the government set a cutoff date of September 2025 for the crop loan waiver, there is concern for those who will face losses beyond that date. “A more adaptable policy is necessary; otherwise, the majority of farmers will face financial ruin,” he cautioned.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the ongoing crisis in West Asia is causing delays or cancellations in the export of agricultural products, placing an additional financial burden on farmers due to increased transport and labor costs. Shetti noted that the produce is being directed to domestic markets, leading to a decrease in prices.<\/p>\n
He warned, “If the government continues to overlook the farmers’ issues, we will take to the streets. We have convened a meeting and will finalize our strategy next week.”<\/p>\n
In response, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that the government would extend all necessary support to help farmers navigate the challenges posed by adverse weather conditions. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed that assessments to determine the extent of crop damage would be conducted promptly to facilitate relief measures.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar interacted with farmers in her home constituency of Baramati. During the budget session, the government announced a Rs 35,000-crore assistance package aimed at waiving crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh for 40 lakh farmers, along with a Rs 50,000 incentive for those who consistently repay their loans.<\/p>\n
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Farmers in Maharashtra are facing significant challenges as they prepare for the upcoming khariff season, which begins in June, following unseasonal rains that severely impacted the rabi season. The preparations for khariff have already been complicated by rain and hailstorms affecting 29 districts throughout the state, exacerbating the financial difficulties for farmers. State Agriculture Minister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3000,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[78,40,144],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cities","category-india","category-mumbai"],"yoast_head":"\n