Drought hits fruit belts in Maharashtra as rainfall deficit impacts crops
Fruit growers in Marathwada and Vidarbha face shrinking yields and tree mortality following an 18 per cent rainfall deficit.
Drought conditions have emerged in 304 of Maharashtra's 358 talukas after the state recorded an 18 per cent rainfall deficit between June 1 and September 26, according to The Indian Express.
In the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, the lack of rain has led to smaller fruit sizes, premature crop loss, and trees drying up.
In Amravati district, orange grower Shivhari Hadke is removing immature fruit from his 18-year-old trees to help them survive. Hadke reported that 10 of his 250 trees have already dried up, while his brother lost 70 trees.
In Jalna, farmer Shivaji Takle said he lost nearly Rs 2.5 lakh this year after his pomegranate crop failed. Takle, who manages a 2.5-acre farm, stated that over 400 trees dried up and the remaining fruit was unfit for sale.
Thirugnanavel, a principal scientist at the ICAR Central Citrus Research Institute (ICAR-CCRI) in Nagpur, noted that rainfall in major citrus belts like Vidarbha was roughly 30-40 per cent lower this year.
He explained that inadequate rain duration and high temperatures contributed to the drought. Under normal conditions, citrus yields average 13 tonnes per hectare, but they could fall to seven or eight tonnes due to these conditions.