In Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna districts have experienced a significant impact on sweet lemon cultivation due to prevailing drought conditions and water scarcity. The state, being the leading producer of sweet lemons in India, has seen over 1.1 million sweet lemon trees across 4,062 hectares of land affected.
This situation has arisen from insufficient rainfall last year, leading to widespread drying of sweet lemon trees. Jalna district, in particular, has faced more severe losses with trees on 3,600 hectares drying up. Efforts to mitigate the situation include some farmers cutting down affected trees. The agriculture sector in these districts, which relies heavily on crops like sweet lemon that require year-round water availability, faces recurrent losses approximately every five years due to similar environmental challenges. The loss of sweet lemon trees not only affects immediate agricultural output but also has long-term implications for farmers in the region.
Source: freepressjournal.in