Heavy Rain Lashes Parbhani District; Cotton Harvest Ruined and Rabi Sowing Delayed

Parbhani (Maharashtra):
Heavy rain lashed several parts of Parbhani district on Thursday (Oct 30), adding to the woes of already distressed farmers. The rain, which began early in the morning, has soaked cotton that was ready for picking, rendering it nearly worthless.

The district had been witnessing cloudy conditions since Wednesday, but Thursday saw steady showers across all talukas. Cotton that survived earlier bouts of excessive rainfall was now ready for harvest. However, the fresh spell of rain has once again caused severe damage, turning the harvested cotton into waste.

Farmers had been struggling to find laborers during the festive Diwali period, leaving much of the cotton uncollected in the fields. Now, with this untimely rain, even the little hope of salvaging their remaining yield has been dashed.

Soybean crops had already disappointed farmers earlier this season — poor yield and low market rates around ₹4,000 per quintal had left them in despair. Now, the unexpected rainfall has disrupted Rabi sowing of crops such as jowar (sorghum) and chickpea, leaving farmers uncertain about their next steps.

In many areas, Parbhani district has already received rainfall exceeding its annual average, with some regions recording 1.5 times more than normal. Continuous rains have made it difficult for farmers to enter their fields, as muddy conditions and damaged rural roads have hampered all agricultural activities.

Farmers are now demanding immediate assistance and compensation for the losses incurred due to the unseasonal rainfall, as both their Kharif and Rabi crop plans have been severely affected.