Hailstorm destroys Rabi crops in Maharashtra

The convergence of winds from either sides of the Peninsular India continues to bring rain in Central and some parts of South India since past two weeks. Accordingly, several places have broken previous records of rainfall. For instance, the average rain for the month of March in Chandarpur is 12.6 mm. However, this station recorded 45.2 mm of rain last Sunday, which is the highest in March in last 10 years. On the same day, Parbhani received 52.3 mm of rain which is the highest in the longest history of this place for the month of March.

Continuous rain accompanied by hailstorm in several parts of Maharashtra has destroyed thousands of hectares of standing crops like wheat, jowar, mustard and onion. Hailstorm in Satana in Nashik district has severely affected grape and pomegranate cultivation. All these Rabi crops are either at harvesting or developing stage and some got damaged due to hailstorm and others due to untimely rain.

Vidarbha, Marathwada and Sangli regions have been the worst affected and among the worst hit places were the villages of Chandori, Karanjgaon, Saikheda, Tamaswadi. Adding to the woes of people, several houses have been damaged which wreaked havoc.

Government support

Eventually, this damage of crops could amount to price hike. According to media reports, on his visit to the affected villages in Beed district, the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, “many farmers in the state are affected by unseasonal rain and hailstorm. We will take permission from the Election Commission and give financial aid to them.”

According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorological Division in India, rain and thundershowers with possibility of hail are expected to continue in Maharashtra till late afternoon of 12^th March. People in the state can breathe a sigh of relief as this region will observe a lull thereafter. Temperatures are also expected to shoot up as rain subsides.

picture courtesy - dailymail