Minister holds review meeting

It has been estimated that at least 72,000 hectares of crops have been damaged in the untimely rain and high-velocity wind that lashed the state in the past few days. The preliminary reports indicate that grapes and pomegranate crops suffered the maximum damage in the district.

“The untimely rainfall has led to damage to crops across the state and it will take time to ascertain the exact loss,” state Agriculture Minister Balasaheb Thorat said here on Thursday after a review in the district. “Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has held a meeting in Mumbai today to discuss the matter and it has been decided to estimate the damage by next Tuesday so that the issue can be taken up in Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.”

A good percentage of grape growers in the district, around Narayangaon, and in Nashik were in the middle of the pruning season that requires a fair bit of dry weather. “Most grape farmers are likely to lose at least Rs 1 lakh an acre because of the rains,” said Sopan Kanchan, president of the Grape Growers Association.

The state government, however, has announced aid at the rate of Rs 2,000 per hectare for rain-fed crop, Rs 4,000 per hectare for irrigated crop and Rs 6,000 per hectare for double crop where the damage is over 50 per cent. “The Cabinet will take a final decision on the compensation,” Thorat said.

The biggest damage to crop has been in Pune, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Bhandara district. Among the crops, rice, jowar, sugarcane, vegetables, grape and pomegranate are the worst affected. “At least 72,000 hectares of agriculture land got a beating due to rain and wind.”

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