01-07-2025
Three of eight Marathwada districts face more than 40% rainfall deficit
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Beed (54% deficit), Latur, and Parbhani (both 45%) districts in Maharashtra's Marathwada region are witnessing a significant rainfall shortfall by the end of June, raising concerns for the ongoing Kharif crop season.
With no strong revival of the monsoon predicted in the coming days, the farming community is bracing for a challenging period, according to the
India Meteorological Department
(IMD).
Marathwada has received an average of 79 mm rainfall in June, only 79% of the expected amount, resulting in an overall deficit of 21%. Among the region's eight districts, only Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar reported surplus rainfall at 110%, while Dharashiv (22%), Jalna (14%), Hingoli (12%), and Nanded (8%) recorded varying levels of deficiency, as per data from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisional commissioner's office.
Ashok Mane Patil, a farmer from Beed, said the lack of rainfall has left his crops stunted. "I sowed soybean and cotton on my 40 acres of land by June 15. There is absolutely no growth of crops due to poor rainfall conditions. The weather conditions are giving me sleepless nights," he said.
Soybean, cotton, and pigeon pea are among the dominant Kharif crops in the region. Marathwada has nearly 21.4 lakh hectares of agricultural land under cultivation in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, and another 28.3 lakh hectares in the Latur division, according to official figures. The IMD has forecast only light to moderate showers at isolated places across Marathwada in the coming days, with no significant rain spells expected to bridge the growing monsoon gap.
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