Such a yield like yesteryears may not be possible in Mahabaleshwar this season
The Mahabaleshwar region, which includes Panchgani, received only 3,564mm of rainfall this monsoon compared to its usual average of 5,438mm.
SD Sanap, an IMD scientist, says the region’s weather patterns may change in the coming weeks. Anxieties are already running high. Daytime temperatures remain well above normal in the two towns. Borewells have dried up; scores of homes are reporting water shortages. By Sept-end, the two towns – favoured holiday destinations for lakhs of tourists every year – were put on Maharashtra’s list of drought-affected zones, for the first time in recent history. “But this is an El Nino year, which is characterised by higher-than-usual daytime temperatures. Mahabaleshwar is not exempt from the rule,” he adds.
Govt data shows cultivable area in Mahabaleshwar this year is down a staggering 40%, to just over 280 hectares from the usual 720. And if strawberry collapses in warm weather, so will winter tourism to the region, which, according to estimates, can generate Rs 500 crore in a good year for local businesses. Data shows the Nov-Feb period, which coincides with peak strawberry season, represents about 45% of the 15 lakh visitors the region receives annually.
“That is why strawberry is risky,” says Prakash Jadhav from a village near Panchgani. Many are now worried about their yields, including me,” he says. The deficient monsoon has forced strawberry growers to scale back. It’s a similar reduction in Panchgani. After purchase of saplings, farmers have to invest in labour, land modifications and irrigation upgrades, without fully knowing what the weather will be like for four critical months. “The crop offers good returns if conditions are good, but in weather like this, it becomes a gamble.
Production shortfalls could impact incomes in at least 30 villages in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani, where strawberry is grown in substantial volumes. Roughly 6,000 households are reliant on the crop.