Unseasonal rain with gusty winds hit parts of Nanded, Parbhani, and Dharashiv districts in Marathwada, damaging mango orchards, while hailstorms were reported in parts of Tuljapur taluka. The event followed a yellow alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Farmers said the weather impacted mango crops at a pre-harvest stage.
Mango cultivation, including Kesar and other local varieties, has been affected as strong winds caused fruit drop. "The mango season is nearing harvest, and the strong winds have led to large-scale fruit drop. Mango cultivation provides supplementary income to farmers, but the current weather is inflicting huge losses," said Santosh Dadke, a farmer from Parbhani.
Farmers' leader Jayaji Suryawanshi called for inclusion of losses under government insurance. "Such a proposal was discussed earlier, but no concrete policy has been implemented. Extending insurance protection to mango cultivation would benefit farmers not only in Marathwada, but also in Konkan and other mango-growing regions," he said.
The IMD forecasts thunderstorms, light to moderate rainfall, and winds of 30–40 km/h across parts of Marathwada, with conditions expected to persist in Latur and Dharashiv for the next 48 hours. The region has already reported six lightning-related deaths and crop damage across nearly 16,000 hectares this season.
In Bangladesh, the Barind region is facing high temperatures, affecting mango and litchi production. Mangoes are dropping prematurely, while limited rainfall is affecting growth. High temperatures are also causing litchis to crack on the trees.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reported mango orchards covering 92,552 hectares with a production target of 1,198,068 tons. Litchi cultivation covers 1,701 hectares. Temperatures reached 39.2 degrees Celsius on April 15 and ranged between 34.5 and 38 degrees through April 20, with no measurable rainfall.
"Small mangoes are dropping from the trees due to excessive heat, and growth has also been affected by the lack of rain," several orchard owners said.
Litchi growers reported cracking due to heat and humidity. "It was extremely hot a few days ago, and now the humidity has increased. As a result, litchis are cracking on the trees," said Abdul Malek. "There is no rain, yet the humidity is high. Litchis cannot withstand this sudden heat, and if the instability continues, production will suffer significantly," added Shafiqul Islam.
Nazrul Islam said, "But since early this month, intense heat has caused most small mangoes to drop. Production will be much lower."
The DAE advised light irrigation and maintaining soil moisture to reduce losses.
Sources: The Times of India / BSS News
