Pune: Baramati, Indapur, Daund, Shirur, Purandar and the usually rain-sufficient Khed, Velhe and Bhor are among the eight tehsils in Pune district declared as drought-affected after rainfall deficit in these areas exceeded 25% and dry spells lasted at least 21 days.The district’s uneven rainfall pattern means the western and eastern regions face different agricultural challenges, with Shirur, Daund, Indapur and Baramati forming part of its relatively dry belt.“We have lost almost half of our crop because it did not rain in Aug-Sept,” Purandar farmer Vitthal Zende said. The prolonged dry spell has turned a productive green pea harvest into a season of heavy losses.Onion cultivation has been severely affected in Shirur and Daund as water sources are dry in Sept, while vegetable growers in Purandar who supply to Pune’s markets are facing difficulties.Pune district agriculture officer Vaibhav Tambe told TOI, “We are planning to execute a ground-truthing exercise in the affected tehsils immediately to understand the actual crop loss.”Several affected tehsils are important horticultural and vegetable-producing centres. Indapur, known for its export-quality pomegranates, has reported stress in plantations after the rainfall gap, a senior agriculture officer said.Pomegranates, figs, custard apples and bananas grown in these regions are supplied to domestic markets and exported to Gulf countries, Southeast Asia and European markets.In Velhe and Bhor, traditionally among the high rainfall areas and known for paddy cultivation, the situation is grim. “Many paddy cultivators could not fertilize their crops and have reported diseases. The overall harvest will reduce significantly this season,” an agriculture officer said.Kharif crops have been severely affected in the tehsils while cash crops, mainly sugar cane, is in a good state because of canal and river water. But in some villages in Shirur water sources are limited and they have dried up in the last two weeks,” officials said.Activist Shantaram Saravade from Khed tehsil said the ground assessment is crucial to determine the extent of damage and based on these reports, farmers will get help from the state govt. “Some pockets in these eight tehsils are better off. Those villages should not be included in this category so that the really affected farmers get adequate aid,” he added.
