The drought-like conditions prevalent in Maharashtra – particularly in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions – have impacted most food crops severely. Fresh sugarcane planting has taken a hit, and this is bound to have an impact on the availability of sugarcane for the sugar year 2013-14.
According to an official from the ministry of agriculture, Government of India, this year's sugar output is estimated to be approximately 24.5 million tonne, but next year it is estimated to reduce to 24 million tonne. He added, “Maharashtra is likely to suffer the biggest setback, because it has been affected by drought induced by a deficit in rainfall for the last two years.”
The chairman of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Sugar Factories Federation Ltd, said, “Sugarcane, which is planted in summer, is a water-intensive crop. Farmers may have to shift to other crops temporarily. The sugarcane cultivation for the next season has not yet commenced in Maharashtra.”
He added, “Last year, the sugar production in Maharashtra was 90 lakh tonne, but this year it is lkely to drop by 12 lakh tonne and remain at 78 lakh tonne. The drought situation is so severe that the state government has decided to save water for drinking purpose and not supply to crops. The situation will be better once rains set in in the month of June.”
Sangli
The Yerala Projects Society (YPS) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working for the upliftment of the poor and needy in the underdeveloped areas of Maharashtra's Sangli district. Among the agricultural projects it is currently undertaking is the grain bank project, aimed at saving the marginal farmers of the district from local moneylenders, and the agri-school project.
Narayan V Deshpande, secretary, YPS, informed F&B News, “Bajra (pearl millet) – a kharif crop – is grown in Atpadi and Jath, two talukas in the eastern part of Sangli district. They have taken the biggest hit – by approximately 90 per cent – since the drought affected the state. Cereals and pulses – particularly tur dal – have been affected by about 70 per cent.”
“The worst-affected fruit is grapes, for which Maharashtra's Nashik district is renowned. Before the drought-like conditions, a kilogram of the fruit used to fetch the cultivator Rs 28-29. But now, the input cost of cultivating grapes has gone up to Rs 22 per kg. The farmers have no choice but to sell it for Rs 16-17 per kg,” he added.
Relief package for state
At the recent meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Drought – headed by Sharad Pawar, minister of agriculture, Government of India – said the drought-like conditions currently prevalent in western Maharashtra and Marathwada were the worst in 40 years, adding that the EGoM had taken additional measures to help farmers meet the situation.
It was announced that a relief package would be implemented, and Maharashtra would be one of the beneficiaries. The package would be released from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).
Maharashtra had demanded Rs 1,801 crore, and the package for the state (Rs 1,207.84 crore) was arrived at on the basis of a report by a team from the Centre, which toured the affected areas for a spot assessment.
Pawar added that funds were also earmarked for a cattle camp in the state, and the expenditure on the cattle would be inclusive of the cost of medicines and water supply. He suggested that for a higher allocation for drinking water and cattle camps beyond 90 days, Maharashtra should propose a special scheme for approval.
From the funds allocated by the ministry for the National Horticulture Mission, the EGoM gave its nod to a scheme under which orchards in Maharashtra's drought-hit areas would be rejuvenated. It was stipulated that while the Centre bore 50 per cent of the cost, the rest would come from the farmer.
Incidentally, this is the third time Maharashtra has been given assistance to tide over the prolonged drought-like conditions Marathwada and western Maharashtra are grappling with. Before the Kharif season of 2012, Rs 778 crore and Rs 500 crore were sanctioned to the state.
