Mumbai: The Marathwada region of Maharashtra is sliding toward an agricultural catastrophe. Months of deficient rainfall have decimated the kharif season, leaving farmers in Latur, Beed and Dharashiv scrambling to rescue what little remains while shrinking water supplies intensify their distress.
Parched Fields, Fading Crops
From afar, specks of green still dot the landscape, but a closer inspection reveals a bleaker picture. Soybean stalks have turned a pallid yellow, tur (pigeon pea) vines are curling and desiccating, cotton bolls are few and scattered, and sugarcane—normally soaring to 20‑25 feet—has stalled at a stunted 10‑12 feet before beginning to wilt.
The districts of Latur, Beed, Parbhani and Dharashiv have shouldered the worst of the shortfall. Between June and September the area received roughly 424.5 mm of rain, far below the normal 679.5 mm. The shortfall has cascaded beyond crops, choking fodder supplies, rural livelihoods, household earnings and the cash flow required for the next sowing cycle.
Escalating Expenditures, Shrinking Returns
Local growers contend that every rupee poured into cultivation is now turning into a loss. In Hingangaon, Tukaram Ambaji spent about ₹30,000‑₹35,000 per acre on his 40‑acre farm, yet the battered harvest is unlikely to recoup even that outlay.
The financial blow stretches beyond the current season. Fields now demand extra labour and expense to clear the wilted plants before the next crop can be planted.
Ram Bellade of Savargaon Rokda cultivated soybean, tur and jowar across eight acres, investing close to ₹1.5 lakh. With his produce devastated, he foresees an additional ₹5,000 per acre for land clearing, and the leftover biomass may serve only as cattle fodder.
Sugarcane growers face a parallel dilemma. In the village of Hagdal, Balaji Munde notes that his cane, which usually reaches 20‑25 feet, has stalled at just 10‑12 feet and is now drying out.
Water Stores Under Strain
The drought has also drained local water bodies. Ponds in Latur and Beed are nearly barren, and the Majra River—once a lifeline for Latur—has receded sharply.
The Majra Dam, straddling the Latur‑Dharashiv‑Beed border, sits at an alarmingly low level. Across Latur district, the average storage of 158 reservoirs has slipped to roughly 12.5 % of their combined capacity.
Compounding the crisis, many traditional water sources remain under‑utilised or suffer from leakage and poor management, heightening concerns over sustainable water governance.
Farmers Face a New Set of Hurdles
For cultivators around Latur, the drought has unfolded in three distinct phases: first, the difficulty of sowing; second, the battle to keep seedlings alive; and now, the urgent need to clear ruined crops and secure funds for the next planting cycle.
Residents frequently invoke the historic 1972 drought when describing today’s severity. A former district council member remarked that the current conditions rank among the gravest the region has witnessed since that year.
Government Relief Measures
The Maharashtra state government has begun extending assistance to the most affected talukas. By the end of September, an additional 43 talukas joined the 265 already declared drought‑affected.
Authorities are weighing options such as crop‑loss assessments, emergency water supplies and fodder distribution. Officials estimate that tackling the drought could add an extra fiscal burden of roughly ₹50,000 crore to the state budget.
Nevertheless, immediate relief remains the priority for farmers. Beyond compensation for lost yields, many families urgently need financial support to meet household expenses until they can restart the next agricultural cycle.
