Modi assures farmers in drought-hit Maharashtra of all possible assistance

Farmers across Maharashtra are witnessing the devastating effects of a severe drought that has ravaged their fruit-growing regions. In the Jalna taluka of Ambad, sweet lime trees are producing smaller, wrinkled green fruit that is barely edible, while some have turned into sun-scorched skeletons. In Amravati district's Linga village, orange growers are cutting immature fruit in a desperate attempt to save their trees.

Maharashtra recorded an 18% rainfall deficit between June and September, leading to drought or drought-like conditions in 304 out of its 358 talukas. The impact is most severe in Marathwada and Vidarbha, where irregular rainfall has led to stunted fruit growth, premature loss of crops, and trees drying up.

Farmers like Shivhari Hadke, an orange grower from Linga village, are taking drastic measures to protect their orchards. Hadke is removing underdeveloped oranges from his nearly 2-acre orchard of 18-year-old trees, hoping to reduce water consumption and give the remaining trees a fighting chance. However, 10 of his nearly 250 trees have already succumbed to the drought, and his younger brother has lost 70 trees.

The family also faces ongoing damage from animals scratching the trees' bark, further weakening their resilience.

Marathwada has not been spared either. Repeated droughts and pest attacks have steadily eroded sweet lime production in Jalna's Rohilagad, Ambad, and Ghansawangi areas. Shivaji Takle, a 35-year-old farmer, has lost nearly Rs 2.5 lakh this year after his pomegranate crop failed, citing the lack of rain and irrigation problems. Takle's father had been cultivating sweet lime since 1998, harvesting over 2,500 fruits annually, but droughts in 2012 and 2014, coupled with pest attacks, have dealt a severe blow to their orchards.

With limited local market demand, the family now depends on supplies from other states like Andhra Pradesh.

Scientists from the ICAR Central Citrus Research Institute in Nagpur warn that the region's citrus crops could suffer significant losses due to the inadequate rainfall and uneven distribution. High temperatures, combined with low water availability and increased evaporation, have exacerbated the drought conditions, leading to reduced yields and tree mortality.

Under normal circumstances, citrus yields average around 13 tonnes per hectare, but affected orchards could see yields plummet to just seven or eight tonnes per hectare.