The panic follows destruction of bajra, onions and other crops in the district, which have been denied the sunshine they require before harvesting.

Instead of waiting for the tomatoes to ripen, farmers have been dumping them in the markets, with retailers in Nashik selling them for Rs 4 to 5 per kg.

Onions, however, have not followed suit. The crop, still at the bulb formation stage, requires sunshine and cannot be harvested in advance like the tomatoes. The heavy downpours are likely to hit production as the unseasonal rain could make them rot.

Wholesale prices of onions at Lasalgaon continued to range between Rs 2,100 and Rs 2,150 per quintal. At the Pimpalgaon-Baswant market, they wereavailable at between Rs 1,700 and Rs 1,900. Prices are likely to remain high till the `Pol' variety of the kharif crop is harvested next month.