*Heavy rains have caused significant damage to cotton and soybean crops in the district: Weather impacts income; government support inadequate*
This year, heavy and uncontrolled rainfall across Yavatmal district, including Babhulgaon, has damaged thousands of hectares of cotton and soybean crops. Approximately nine lakh hectares of land are cultivated in Yavatmal district alone. However, heavy rains have caused significant damage in several revenue divisions. Millions of hectares of crops have been submerged. The weather has had a severe adverse impact on income. Currently, farmers have not even received their inputs. Crops like cotton, soybean, pigeon pea, and chickpea are not fetching expected market prices, leading to a significant decline in income.
Irregular rainfall has led to increased disease and reduced crop quality, while heavy rains have affected the fertility of agricultural land. This has deepened the crisis in agriculture. The burden of economic losses is increasing. Farmers are also facing the crisis of crop loans. Restrictions imposed on millions of farmers' accounts due to overdue loans have made obtaining new loans difficult. This has forced farmers to turn to moneylenders, significantly increasing their financial stress. Some farmers are even resorting to suicide during Diwali. Recently, there have been reports of three farmers committing suicide in the district.
The government has announced a relief amount of ₹8.5,000 per hectare. The relief amount is distributed according to the percentage of damage. However, according to farmers, this amount is insufficient even to cover the cost of tillage. Compared to the cost and damage, this relief amount is far too low. They expect assistance from the administration, but are unhappy with the lack of adequate support. The natural disaster has left farmers stressed and unstable. They expect help from the government. The lack of government assistance and the restrictive credit system have fueled a sense of dissatisfaction. This has led to a decline in farmers' trust in the government for the upcoming district council elections. The possibility of considering a change in local power is increasing. Dissatisfaction with the system and expectations for greater assistance will be clearly felt in this election. The farmers' crisis is currently at a critical juncture. Experts believe that only if the administration provides immediate and adequate assistance can the situation in rural areas change.
