Unseasonal rains accompanied by hailstorms and strong winds have left a trail of damage across several districts of Maharashtra over the past few days, affecting crops on more than 1.22 lakh hectares of farmland, officials said on Friday.Districts including Pune, Nashik, Solapur, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Dhule, Buldhana, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, among others, have been badly hit, with both standing and harvested Rabi crops suffering large-scale losses. Fruit orchards growing grapes, pomegranates, and mangoes have also taken a severe blow, with heavy fruit drop reported across growing regions.State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the government would compensate affected farmers and that surveys to assess the extent of damage were already underway in several areas.Mango growers bear bruntThe Alphonso mango, which is central to Maharashtra’s horticulture economy, has been affected. Mukund Joshi, secretary of the Hapus Amba Utpadak Vikreta Sahakari Sangh, said rain, hail, and strong winds have struck mango orchards in Palghar, Sindhudurg, and some parts of Ratnagiri including Lanja, causing premature fruit drop and increased risk of diseases such as anthracnose, a fungal disease. Both standing and harvested Rabi crops have suffered large-scale losses. (Express photo)“These events, driven by climate change, can cause yield losses of 40 to 50 per cent,” Joshi said, adding that supply was already low this season before the rains hit.In Ratnagiri’s Rajapur taluka, farmer Anand Marathe said erratic rains attract fruit flies, which are pests that lay eggs beneath the skin of mangoes, causing them to rot. Parts of Lanja also received hailstorms, adding to the damage.Fruit trader Mayur Sapkal said the Kesar mango, which is exported to the United States, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe, has been severely affected. Grown mostly across Solapur, Ahilyanagar, and parts of Pune, the fruit has struggled with the sudden temperature swings that accompany unseasonal rain. “It acts like a shock to the fruit,” Sapkal said.Story continues below this adMust Read | Why Mumbai has remained dry even as heavy downpour batters MaharashtraGrapes, cashew, bananas also hitGrape growers in Sangli have suffered losses, with sudden rains triggering berry splitting, premature rotting, and increased disease pressure from downy mildew, a plant disease caused by fungus. Sapkal said losses in vineyards could range from 30 to 40 per cent, with many farmers forced to sell at distressed prices or divert their produce to raisin-making.Cashew farmers in parts of Ratnagiri have also been affected. Marathe said cashew requires dry weather during flowering and fruiting, and untimely showers during the pre-harvest period can lead to production losses of 40 per cent or more.Banana farmer Hanuman Dake from Beed said heavy rain had devastated his plantation, damaging crops and reducing fruit quality. Prices have collapsed as a result of West Asia conflict plus unseasonal rain: from around Rs 15 per kg in late February to Rs 3-4 per kg now.Vegetables, field crops affectedStory continues below this adPramod Fadtare, a farmer from Purandar, said onions, wheat, green chickpeas, chillies, and tomatoes had all suffered due to waterlogging. He also raised concerns about rising fertiliser costs: a 50-kg bag of urea that used to cost around Rs 260 now costs up to Rs 550. “This loss amid unseasonal rain is horrifying,” he said.In Solapur, watermelon farmer Kantilal Fadtare said his crop, in its final stages of harvest, had been hit by excess moisture, causing the fruit to swell, crack, and lose sweetness. He added that watermelon prices were already under pressure because export curbs, usually sent to West Asia, have been diverted to the domestic market due to the ongoing conflict in the region.From Kolhapur, farmer Pradip Patil said sugarcane has benefited from the rain, but crops such as wheat, gram, jowar, and bajra that were ready for harvest have been flattened in several places.Farmers await reliefWith losses mounting across crop varieties and districts, farmers are waiting for the government’s survey teams to complete their assessment and for compensation to reach them quickly. Many farmers say the combination of climate-driven weather shocks and rising input costs is making farming increasingly difficult to sustain.