Unseasonal rains and hailstorms have wreaked havoc in Dhule district, Maharashtra, leading to significant destruction of agricultural land. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in extensive damage to crops spread over 8,145.60 hectares in the district, affecting the farming community severely. Dhule and Sakri talukas have been the hardest hit, causing immense financial losses to thousands of farmers and distress in rural areas.
The impact of the hailstorms and unseasonal rains has been particularly severe in Sakri taluka, directly affecting over 9,000 farmers. In Dhule taluka, onion growers have faced substantial losses running into lakhs of rupees, exacerbating the agricultural crisis. Preliminary assessments by the Agriculture Department reveal widespread damage in both unirrigated and irrigated farming zones across the district.
In unirrigated areas, crops like maize and summer millet have been completely destroyed, covering 1,422 hectares and 186 hectares, respectively. Irrigated areas have witnessed significant damage to onion crops across 4,741 hectares, along with heavy losses in vegetable crops cultivated over 321 hectares due to the hailstorms. Fruit orchards, including papaya, pomegranate, and mango plantations, have also suffered considerable damage.
The recent devastation follows a previous spell of unseasonal rain on March 19, which had already impacted crops in parts of the district. However, the situation escalated dramatically after the hailstorm on March 30, intensifying the level of destruction significantly. The latest spell of adverse weather has caused severe damage, especially to irrigated crops like onions and fruit orchards, raising concerns over future yields.
In light of the widespread losses, farmers are urging the government to promptly assess the damage and provide immediate financial aid and compensation to those affected.
