Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The first crop assessment (Paisewari) report for the kharif season indicates that the district is heading towards a wet drought.
The preliminary assessment shows 47.84% crop yield, with the final report expected by 31st October. None of the villages in the district have a yield above 50%, and overall crop yield has dropped by 52.14%, indicating substantial damage to the kharif season.
This year, excessive rainfall over 18 days in September affected farmers’ crops, with a total of 824 mm of rainfall recorded by 30th September against the annual average of 581 mm, which is 141% of the normal. Around 2.37 lakh hectares of kharif crops were damaged, compared to 12,000 hectares by the end of July; 2.25 lakh hectares were affected during the 18 days of September.
Yield assessment by tehsils:
Tehsil Number of VIllages Yield
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city 40 48.14%
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar 154 47%
Paithan 189 46.11%
Phulambri 92 49%
Vaijapur 164 48.01%
Gangapur 222 48.15%
Khuldabad 76 48 %
Sillod 132 48%
Kannad 201 48%
Soygaon 84 48%
Total 1354 47.84%
What happens if yield is low?
If yield falls below 50%, the area may be declared drought-affected, allowing farmers to receive government relief. Farmers may get benefits such as waiver of pending loans, suspension of recovery, concessions on children’s school fees, reduced electricity bills for irrigation pumps, and compensation for crop loss.
What is Paisewari?
Paisewari is an old method to estimate potential land productivity. The government’s revenue department assesses kharif, rabi, and dry crops in each village to determine revenue capacity. If yield falls below 50%, the area may be officially declared as experiencing wet/dry drought.
According to Section 78 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Act, 1966, land revenue may be deferred or waived depending on the assessed crop yield.