MUMBAI: The crop damage caused by the unseasonal rains over the last few days has climbed to 3.9 lakh hectares, according to preliminary estimates.
The maximum damage has been in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district in Vidarbha where 1.3 lakh hectares of cop has been affected.
The district is known for its high rate of farmer suicides.
The next highest district is Hingoli in Marathwada, where 79,402 hectares of crop has been affected.
In total, the damage is spread over 22 districts. The crops affected include grapes, onions, bananas, wheat, rice, cotton, papaya, vegetables and tur dal.
This is a double whammy for the farmers in the state who are already grappling with the impact of a drought which is spread over 40 talukas. The rains and hailstorms will impact the rabi or winter crop, which had already seen a dip in sowing. The rabi sowing this year is 25 lakh hectares or 45% of the 5-year average. The sowing area of the kharif or monsoon crop is thrice that of rabi.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde has directed the administration to prepare panchamanas for the damaged crop and said that the government would provide compensation upto 3 hectares, instead of the earlier 2 hectares.
However, while the crop damage is extensive, it is much lower than that faced by farmers in 2022. The state had faced unseasonal rains, hailstorms and pest attack by snails last year. These calamities damaged crops spread over 67 lakh hectares, data shows. Compensation worth Rs 9,981 crore was expected, of which Rs 8,613 crores has been provided so far.
Earlier this year, between March and September, unseasonal rains affected 16.4 lakh hectares of crop. So far, compensation worth Rs 1,533 crore of the total Rs 1,701 crore has been paid to farmers.
According to the NDRF norms, unirrigated crops are entitled to compensation worth Rs 8,500 per hectare, irrigated crops to Rs 17,000 per hectare and horticulture crops to Rs 22,500 per hectare. The compensation limit according to these norms is 2 hectares.
The maximum damage has been in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district in Vidarbha where 1.3 lakh hectares of cop has been affected.
The district is known for its high rate of farmer suicides.
The next highest district is Hingoli in Marathwada, where 79,402 hectares of crop has been affected.
In total, the damage is spread over 22 districts. The crops affected include grapes, onions, bananas, wheat, rice, cotton, papaya, vegetables and tur dal.
This is a double whammy for the farmers in the state who are already grappling with the impact of a drought which is spread over 40 talukas. The rains and hailstorms will impact the rabi or winter crop, which had already seen a dip in sowing. The rabi sowing this year is 25 lakh hectares or 45% of the 5-year average. The sowing area of the kharif or monsoon crop is thrice that of rabi.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde has directed the administration to prepare panchamanas for the damaged crop and said that the government would provide compensation upto 3 hectares, instead of the earlier 2 hectares.
However, while the crop damage is extensive, it is much lower than that faced by farmers in 2022. The state had faced unseasonal rains, hailstorms and pest attack by snails last year. These calamities damaged crops spread over 67 lakh hectares, data shows. Compensation worth Rs 9,981 crore was expected, of which Rs 8,613 crores has been provided so far.
Earlier this year, between March and September, unseasonal rains affected 16.4 lakh hectares of crop. So far, compensation worth Rs 1,533 crore of the total Rs 1,701 crore has been paid to farmers.
According to the NDRF norms, unirrigated crops are entitled to compensation worth Rs 8,500 per hectare, irrigated crops to Rs 17,000 per hectare and horticulture crops to Rs 22,500 per hectare. The compensation limit according to these norms is 2 hectares.