Nashik: Two spells of heavy rain on September 9 and 21 in the district have not only slashed rain deficiency from 45% to 34%, but also provided relief to rabi and kharif crops.Kharif crops in the central (Nashik, Malegaon and Chandwad) and western (Igatpuri, Trimbakeshwar, Dindori, Surgana, Peth, and Kalwan) talukas got some respite due to the intermittent rainfall. However, in the eastern talukas of the district — Sinnar, Yeola and Nandgaon — more than 50% of the kharif crops sown, including maize and soyabean, have died owing to lack of rain in their areas. What is lost is lost, and it cannot be recovered. The kharif crops in the district were likely to be damaged because of no rain. But with the recent spells on September 21, we can expect a revival of at least 70% of kharif crops, said Vivek Sonawane, the district superintendent of agriculture. The district superintendent also added that the rain will re-charge groundwater, improving water availability for rabi season. The depleting water levels, due to the lack of rain, had endangered rabi crops. The renewed rainfall, the damp soil, good underground storage and the back-up in dams, will ensure healthy growth for rabi crops, he said. Farmers in eastern talukas, whose kharif crops were lost, have started to sow onion crops instead. However, the intermittent rains is likely to affect productivity.In central talukas of the district — Nashik, Malegaon and Chandwad — crops on the verge of dying were revived after the region received few showers. The district received an average of 20mm rains in the 24-hour period ending Sunday morning. The eastern talukas received better rainfall, with Yeola receiving 48mm of rainfall. This was followed by Malegaon, with 39.3mm of rainfall. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that in the current season, July and September have been better for rain compared to June and August, which had big dry spells. We expect good rains — although with varied intensity — in the region for the next ten days. This is the time when eastern region get more rain, an IMD officer said. We also published the following articles recentlyState govt announces MSP for kharif cropsThe Gujarat government has announced that it will purchase 9.98 lakh metric tonnes of groundnut and 91,343 metric tonnes of soybean from farmers at minimum support price (MSP), totaling Rs 6,784 crore. The purchases will begin on October 21, and farmers can register on the e-Gram portal between September 25 and October 16 to sell their produce. The government will also purchase green gram and urad dal at MSP. This initiative aims to support farmers and ensure they receive fair prices for their crops.Farmers to get central aid for crops damaged due to rainThe agricultural department in Jaipur has requested insurance companies to assess the damage caused to crops by recent rainfall. The state government aims to ensure that farmers can receive compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana MFBY scheme. If crops kept for drying in the field are spoiled after harvesting due to the current rains, farmers can be compensated. Farmers have been advised to approach insurance companies within 72 hours of the damage. The agriculture minister has stated that there is a potential for damage to Kharif crops due to untimely rains in some areas of the state.Sept heavy rain, virus damage banana cropMore than 300 hectares of banana farmland in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh have been damaged by heavy rainfall and virus attacks, according to a survey by the district horticulture department. The damage has occurred mainly in mature crops, while smaller plantations have fared better. Farmers have reported waterlogging in their fields due to the rain, which has exacerbated the situation. The survey is ongoing and more accurate damage assessments are expected.

Stay updated with all the Latest Nashik headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.