Unseasonal rain batters Barmer, Jaisalmer; crops suffer heavy damage

Jaisalmer: Unseasonal rain after midnight Wednesday, accompanied by thunder and dust storms, lashed Barmer and Jaisalmer districts till around 3am, causing widespread crop damage and raising concerns among farmers. Strong winds and heavy rain damaged psyllium husk and other crops across urban and rural areas.In Jaisalmer, farmers reported major losses in Ramgarh, Keeta, Dabla and Fatehgarh, with standing rabi crops destroyed. Moisture has raised fears of cumin turning black, affecting prices, while psyllium husk crops suffered near-total loss due to grain shedding. Harvested produce left in fields was also soaked.In Barmer's border areas, including Bakhasar, Sedwa and Chauhtan, farmers said rain hit cumin crops the hardest. Many said crops were ready for harvest when the sudden downpour ruined both standing and harvested produce, leading to heavy financial losses.Farmers, many of whom had taken loans, demanded immediate surveys and compensation, warning of worsening distress.The Met dept attributed the weather to a western disturbance that altered weather patterns across several parts of the state. Barmer MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal urged CM Bhajan Lal to order a swift girdawari, probe insurance claim irregularities, and announce a special relief package, saying losses worth lakhs have pushed already indebted farmers into crisis. He also said a special financial package was necessary to provide relief and support farmers in resuming farming.