Rain brings relief to Mahabaleshwar strawberry and groundnut farmers after dry spell

Farmers in Mahabaleshwar taluka have got some relief from rain that began early on Saturday. Heavy rain fell in Satara district as an effect of Cyclone Arnav, which formed off the Andhra coast. It has given some support to farmers who were in difficulty.

Because of the influence of El Nino this year, the rain had been absent since August. The kharif crops in Mahabaleshwar taluka were therefore in trouble. Crops badly need water when grain is filling, and the rain failed at exactly that time. Crops in many fields withered, and farmers feared a heavy fall in yield.

Strawberry is grown on a large scale in the taluka. Cash crops such as peas and French beans are also planted in hilltop fields. The long break in the rain had hurt all these crops. Farmers were worried in particular because the soil did not have the moisture needed for strawberry planting. The rain has now raised the moisture in the soil, and there is hope that the strawberry crop will get a natural new lease of life.

The lack of rain had also made it hard to harvest groundnut. The pods had formed underground, but because the soil had hardened, farmers in many places had to dig the groundnut out with a hand hoe. The rain has now loosened the soil, and groundnut can be pulled out easily.

Farmers had been troubled by worry over whether they would even recover what they spent on sowing this year. According to some, the situation was such that they doubted they would even get back the seed they had sown. Although the rain has brought relief, concern over the loss in yield remains.