Heavy rains in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region have caused widespread damage to crops and property, leaving farmers grappling with significant losses. Ganesh Ghodake, a farmer from Kurla village in Beed district, recounted how the Sindphana river overflowed after heavy rainfall between September 19 and 22, flooding his farm and destroying three hectares of cotton crop. “I invested Rs 1.25 lakh in cultivating cotton, expecting a profit of Rs 50,000.
The flood has left me facing a loss of Rs 65,000,” he said. Marathwada, comprising Chhattrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Latur, Hingoli, Nanded, Dharashiv, and Parbhani districts, received 890.7 mm of rainfall between June and September, 247.9 mm above the normal 642.8 mm, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
The rainfall, however, was highly erratic. From July 31 to August 6, the region saw an 85 per cent deficit, followed by a 328 per cent excess from August 14 to 20. Another deficit of 85 per cent occurred between August 21 and 27, followed by 153 per cent excess rainfall in the next week. In September, the pattern persisted: a 69 per cent deficit from September 4-10 was followed by three consecutive weeks of excess rainfall—182 per cent (September 11-17), 153 per cent (September 18-24), and 271 per cent (September 25-October 1).
These fluctuations have caused extensive damage to crops, livestock, and property across the region. On October 7, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed a press conference, stating that 29 of the state’s 36 districts had been affected by the heavy rains. Crop losses were estimated at 6.8 million hectares statewide, with 3.2 million hectares impacted in Marathwada alone, according to data from the Chhattrapati Sambhajinagar division commissionerate.
Overall, Maharashtra received 1,189.4 mm of rain between June 1 and September 30, 20 per cent higher than the normal 994.5 mm recorded for the period. While the increased rainfall provided relief in certain drought-prone areas, the erratic pattern and extreme spells led to severe agricultural and economic losses for farmers in the state’s arid regions, highlighting the vulnerability of Marathwada’s agriculture to fluctuating monsoon patterns.