Unseasonal rains have caused serious damage to crops across Nashik district, leaving over 14,000 farmers in distress. As of May 10, crops on 3,454 hectares of farmland have been affected, with major damage reported in mango, onion, and vegetable cultivation.
Farmers are especially worried as the rains have not only continued but have returned after a brief two-day pause. On Sunday (May 12), unseasonal rain again lashed parts of Nashik taluka and surrounding regions, raising concerns that the extent of crop loss will rise further.
In the first week of May, rising temperatures had started causing heat-related issues. However, this sudden shift to rainy and cloudy weather has led to unexpected and widespread agricultural losses. Farmers in several villages say the season no longer feels like May, as temperatures have dropped noticeably.
Onion crops, in particular, have taken a major hit. Stormy winds have uprooted onion plants, causing the bulbs to fall out of the soil before they could be harvested. Mangoes and vegetables have also suffered due to waterlogging and high wind speeds.
According to official estimates, 14,613 farmers from 600 villages have been affected so far. The worst-hit talukas include Peth and Surgana.
Peth taluka saw damage to 1,257 hectares, affecting 4,819 farmers.
Surgana taluka reported damage to 594 hectares, with 4,511 farmers affected.
Satana taluka recorded the highest loss of onion crops.
Five days ago, damage was reported on about 2,000 hectares