Maharashtra farmers battle crop losses, water and fodder crisis, await relief

The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 265 of the state’s 358 talukas amid a sharp rainfall deficit, but in parts of drought-hit Dharashiv, farmers say relief is yet to reach them as failed kharif crops, dwindling water sources and a shortage of fodder deepen the crisis.

Marathwada has recorded a rainfall deficit of around 38 per cent, while Vidarbha is facing a deficit of about 27 per cent. Maharashtra’s overall deficit stands at around 18 per cent. Within Marathwada, the deficit ranges from about 16 per cent in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to nearly 48 per cent in Hingoli.

The September 26 government resolution placed the 265 talukas under Trigger-1 of the drought assessment process, allowing measures including crop-loan restructuring, a stay on recovery of agricultural loans, concessions on electricity bills for agricultural pumps, continued power supply, and arrangements for drinking water and fodder.

The government has also ordered crop-loss assessments through panchnamas, with officials directed to document damage using photographs and GPS coordinates. Compensation for the current crop losses will be decided separately after the assessment.

In Dharashiv, farmers say the prolonged break in rainfall during August badly affected soybean and other kharif crops, particularly when soybean was at the flowering and pod-filling stage.

A district-level assessment carried out before the drought declaration found field-level crop losses of 50 to 90 per cent in several areas.

In Bangarwadi village of Kalamb taluka, farmer Achru Bangar said he is now struggling to feed his 10 cows. After his soybean crop was damaged, he turned to dairy farming, but the fodder shortage has put that income source at risk too.

Bangar said he now travels to another taluka to bring fodder and is sometimes forced to cut green fodder from the boundaries of other farmers’ fields. The fodder he has will last for only about another month, he said.

“If the situation does not improve, I may have to take all my cattle to fodder camps,” Bangar said.

The water shortage has also affected households. Dharashiv resident Ashok Chavan said tankers have been supplying water in his area since March, with one arriving roughly every 15 days. Nearby lakes, wells and borewells have dried up, leaving families dependent on tanker water for domestic needs.FARMERS STILL WAITING FOR LAST YEAR'S RELIEF

For farmers in Dharashiv, the current drought has come before the losses from last year’s excessive rainfall and flooding have been fully resolved.

The Maharashtra government had announced a relief package running into thousands of crores after widespread damage in Marathwada in 2025. Kalamb MLA Kailas Patil has questioned how much of the announced assistance actually reached farmers through direct benefit transfers.

Speaking to India Today, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA said the government had announced assistance of around Rs 32,000 crore last year, but questioned how much had actually reached farmers’ accounts. He also alleged that different conditions were applied while processing claims, resulting in farmers receiving less assistance than announced.

The Rs 47,000-per-hectare figure has also caused confusion. The amount applies to specific categories of land damage, including land washed away or eroded because of landslides, changes in river channels or water flow. It is not blanket compensation for every farmer suffering crop losses.

In Washi taluka, a 47-year-old farmer said he is still waiting for compensation for damage caused by last year’s heavy rain. He said water entered his agricultural land and washed away the soil, following which officials conducted a panchnama. A year later, he claimed, no money had been credited to his account.

In Bangarwadi, another farmer said his name appeared on the first list of beneficiaries under the farm-loan waiver scheme, but the benefit has not yet reached his bank account.RELIEF DECLARATION, BUT MORE WAITING

The agrarian crisis is also reflected in farmer suicide figures from Marathwada. According to the figures cited, 653 farmers died by suicide in the region between January and August 2026. Beed recorded 168 farmer suicides between January and September, while one each was reported in Hingoli and Latur and three in Beed in the past eight days.

The state-wide rainfall figure, which remains around 18 per cent below normal, does not capture the impact of prolonged dry spells in individual districts. While Maharashtra may fall within the India Meteorological Department’s broad “normal” rainfall category, farmers in parts of Marathwada are facing severe agricultural losses.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the situation in Latur and Dharashiv is extremely serious and that farmers will not have to wait for central funds before the state provides assistance. He has also said the government is arranging drinking water and fodder and that the loan-waiver scheme will continue.

For farmers in Dharashiv, however, the immediate concern is whether crop-loss assessments will be completed quickly, pending compensation will be cleared and the newly announced drought relief will reach their accounts and villages.- Ends

Omkar Wable has been working in the media since 2018. He is the curious about the world. Political coverage is his core competency and social issues have always been a priority. Covering ground reports from various communities along with civic issues is strength.