Members of the Shivsangram organization have formally submitted a memorandum to the Beed district administration. They are calling for an assessment of the alleged damage to kharif crops, which are typically grown during the monsoon season. The group is also demanding necessary compensation for affected farmers. This request highlights ongoing concerns about agricultural losses in the region.
The region has recorded an Aug rainfall deficit of up to 68%, with Beed (84%), Jalna (78%) and Parbhani (73%) among the worst-affected districts. The region, which has more than 46 lakh hectares under kharif cultivation, depends heavily on consistent monsoon rainfall for crop yields. Due to poor rainfall in Aug, it is hardly supplying any water. Official data shows that Marathwada’s kharif sowing area has already fallen short by 3.6 lakh hectares compared to the average of the last five years due to the delayed arrival of the monsoon.
With irregular tap-water supply, we are forced to buy tanker water and jars,” said Mukund Washikar, a resident of Beed. The poor monsoon performance in Aug will affect these crops unless farmers adopt artificial irrigation measures,” said K K Dakhore, agricultural meteorologist at Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. He said scattered showers received in Aug have provided only temporary relief. “The light rainfall has added some moisture to the soil, but higher-than-normal temperatures are quickly robbing the fields of that moisture,” Dakhore said.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Even at the peak of the monsoon season, several borewells across drought-prone parts of Marathwada, particularly in Beed district, are running dry as a prolonged Aug dry spell deepens concerns over drinking water availability and crop stress. The shortfall has hit both domestic water supplies and standing kharif crops, raising fears of a worsening situation if rains do not revive soon. “My borewell had no water since summer and saw a brief revival after the July showers. “Kharif crops, such as soyabean and cotton, are currently at sensitive growth stages and cannot withstand further stress. The concern extends beyond water supply.