Mumbai, June 8 (IANS) The Maharashtra government has appealed to farmers not to rush their sowing activities, even though the monsoon has arrived in South Konkan; however, its overall intensity and progress across the state will remain sluggish until June 15.

The Meteorological Department has clarified that while there is a possibility of thunderstorms and gusty winds in parts of Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh, and Central Maharashtra until June 15, these showers do not yet appear sufficient to support widespread sowing. As dry spells are expected to follow, premature sowing could result in financial losses for farmers, said the government release issued on late Sunday evening.

Precipitation is anticipated to pick up across several regions of Maharashtra after June 18. In particular, the Konkan coastal strip and the Ghat (mountainous) regions show a highly positive outlook for receiving above-average rainfall by the end of June. Rainfall activity is highly likely to intensify over the next three to four days in the Konkan and Ghat areas.

For the rest of the state, the forecast indicates a continuation of isolated thunderstorms. Citizens have been urged to take necessary safety precautions regarding lightning and sudden weather variations, said the release.

“Farmers are eagerly awaiting the monsoon. However, this is an El Niño year. While there is a 22 per cent probability of average rainfall, our primary focus is to ensure that farmers in Marathwada and other drought-prone regions are not forced into double-sowing (re-sowing). The government’s emphasis will be on maximising crop yield with minimum water, thereby minimising losses,” said the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The state advisory comes when farmers across Maharashtra’s cash-crop belts (soybean, cotton, and pulses) often rush to sow immediately after the first pre-monsoon showers. However, agricultural experts and the state administration strongly discourage sowing until the soil receives at least 75 to 100 mm of cumulative rainfall and moisture penetrates deep enough to sustain seed germination. If a dry spell follows the initial showers — as predicted here until mid-June — the sprouted seeds wither in the dry soil. This forces impoverished farmers to buy a second round of expensive seeds and fertilisers, plunging them deeper into credit traps, said the agriculture department sources.

CM Fadnavis’s explicit mention of an “El Nino year” carries heavy political and administrative weight. El Nino transitions typically suppress Indian monsoon currents, leading to prolonged dry spells and uneven distribution. Regions like Marathwada (Beed, Latur, Osmanabad) and Vidarbha are historically drought-prone and highly reliant on dryland farming. A failed initial sowing season in these pockets severely dents agrarian output and escalates rural economic distress.

The Chief Minister’s statement underscores a strategic shift from traditional moisture reliance to defensive agronomy. By warning farmers beforehand via state machinery, the administration aims to mitigate initial seed capital losses. The focus on “maximising yield under lower rainfall” signals that the Agriculture Department will likely push for short-duration crop varieties, micro-irrigation systems (drip/sprinkler), and contingency crop planning if the dry spell extends past late June.

–IANS

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