Crop losses for 6,900 farmers due to unseasonal rain in Vidarbha

Nagpur: The recent unseasonal rain damaged crops cultivated by 6,900-odd farmers on more than 8,600 acres of agricultural land in the Vidarbha region. These are preliminary estimates, and the final figures can vary, sources said.The losses are higher in eastern Vidarbha, which comes under the Nagpur revenue division. The worst-affected was Wardha district, where more than 2,800 farmers reported losses, with crops on 1,880-odd acres reportedly ruined.
As far as area is concerned, the impact is higher in Nagpur district, where crops on 2,500 acres of farmland belonging to 1,800 individuals were reported to be damaged. The crops include oilseeds, vegetables, oranges, bananas, wheat, chana, jowar, maize, and even cotton.In western Vidarbha, so far only Yavatmal reported losses, with crops on 3,000-odd hectares belonging to over 940 farmers reported to be damaged.Meanwhile, the Centre also granted approval for procurement of 7.61 lakh metric tonnes of (chana) gram in Maharashtra at the minimum support price. Gram is one of the major rabi crops grown along with wheat in the region too.