Weak rain ruins kharif in Washim's Shirpur; water shortage threatens turmeric and rabi sowing

Farmers in Shirpur Jain and surrounding areas of Washim district are being hit on several fronts this year. Rainfall was very low, which has directly affected kharif crops. Soybean yields have fallen sharply and the tur crop has almost slipped out of farmers' hands.

Turmeric is grown on a large scale in and around Shirpur, and many farmers depend on earnings from this crop for their finances through the year. Soybean, tur, urad and moong are grown here in the kharif season, and turmeric, which falls in the spice category, is sown alongside them. This time, however, low rainfall cut soybean yields considerably.

On some farms the soybean crop did not come up at all. Tur has also suffered heavy losses, and hopes of a good yield have ended. Farmers had placed all their trust in turmeric. But the crop is now in trouble because of the shortage of water. It is not getting the water it needs, and there is a fear that its growth will stall.

Farmers are also unsure whether water will remain available for the rest of the season. Turmeric is regarded as a crop that brings assured income, and the question now is whether it will provide the expected financial support this time.

Meanwhile, for lack of water, preparation and sowing of rabi crops could not be done either. This has dimmed hopes of income from the coming season. With the kharif losses, the threat to turmeric and rabi sowing held up, farmers are caught in a triple crisis.

The effect of the low rainfall is not limited to farming. There is concern that a drinking water shortage could also arise in the coming summer. The lack of rain this year has put the whole farm economy of the Shirpur area at risk of being disrupted.