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By:

Ramesh Patil

30 January 2025 at 2:35:31 pm

Rain Check for Marathwada

The uneven march of the southwest monsoon is once again exposing the fragility of rain-fed agriculture. The southwest monsoon has never been an equal-opportunity visitor. This year it has arrived with a familiar paradox. While Konkan, Mumbai and large parts of western Maharashtra have been inundated by torrential rain, Marathwada remains trapped in a frustrating cycle of scattered showers followed by long dry spells. For a region where agriculture depends overwhelmingly on the vagaries of the...

Rain Check for Marathwada

The uneven march of the southwest monsoon is once again exposing the fragility of rain-fed agriculture. The southwest monsoon has never been an equal-opportunity visitor. This year it has arrived with a familiar paradox. While Konkan, Mumbai and large parts of western Maharashtra have been inundated by torrential rain, Marathwada remains trapped in a frustrating cycle of scattered showers followed by long dry spells. For a region where agriculture depends overwhelmingly on the vagaries of the skies, this is not merely a meteorological curiosity. It is an economic emergency in slow motion. Forced Delay The immediate casualty is the Kharif sowing season. Across much of Marathwada, farmers have been forced to delay sowing because the soil simply does not contain enough moisture. Others who took the gamble after the first pre-monsoon showers now find themselves worrying whether their newly sown fields will survive the intervening dry spell. What should have been a period of activity and cautious optimism has instead become one of anxious waiting. The crops most affected are also those that define the region’s agricultural economy. Soybean, cotton and tur remain the principal Kharif crops, supplemented by pulses such as moong and urad. Each requires timely sowing and dependable early-season rainfall to establish healthy growth. A delayed start compresses the growing season, while interrupted rainfall threatens germination itself. Should seedlings fail, farmers face the unenviable prospect of re-sowing, doubling expenditure on seeds, labour and field preparation. Agricultural science offers little room for improvisation. Experts consistently advise that sowing should begin only after the soil has accumulated adequate moisture. Premature planting in anticipation of rain is often more damaging than waiting a few extra days. A dry spell immediately after sowing can wipe out germinating seeds, forcing farmers back to square one. In regions where input costs have steadily risen and farm incomes remain uncertain, such setbacks can be financially devastating. Optimal Sowing Yet the dilemma confronting farmers is understandable. Waiting too long also carries risks. Every passing day narrows the optimal sowing window, potentially reducing yields even if the rains eventually arrive. The decision is therefore no longer simply agricultural; it has become a calculated wager against an increasingly unpredictable climate. The India Meteorological Department has offered a measure of hope by forecasting increased rainfall across Marathwada in the coming days. If those predictions materialise and the rains remain sustained rather than episodic, sowing operations could gather pace rapidly. Farmers possess remarkable resilience and can often recover lost time when weather conditions cooperate. But optimism must remain tempered. One or two heavy showers cannot compensate for prolonged moisture deficits. Agriculture depends less on spectacular downpours than on steady, well-distributed rainfall. This uneven distribution of the monsoon is becoming a recurring feature rather than an isolated anomaly. Climate variability is making rainfall increasingly erratic, producing episodes of both flood and drought within the same state. Maharashtra now illustrates this contradiction vividly. While cities on the western coast grapple with waterlogging and overflowing rivers, farmers barely a few hundred kilometres away stare at cracked fields and empty skies. The challenge is no longer merely the quantity of rainfall but its timing and distribution. Such volatility demands a broader rethink of agricultural policy. Weather forecasting has improved considerably, yet translating forecasts into timely farm-level decisions remains uneven. Extension services must ensure that advisories reach farmers quickly and in forms they can readily use. Crop insurance schemes must respond faster when failed germination forces re-sowing. Investment in farm ponds, watershed management and micro-irrigation can reduce dependence on the monsoon's increasingly uncertain rhythm. None of these measures can replace rain, but they can soften its absence. Marathwada’s predicament serves as a reminder of how deeply India’s rural economy remains tied to the monsoon. Despite advances in technology and decades of agricultural policy, millions of farmers still begin each season with the same ritual: watching the horizon for rain clouds. When those clouds hesitate, the consequences ripple far beyond the farm gate, affecting rural incomes, commodity prices and, eventually, the wider economy. For now, Marathwada waits. The forecasts promise relief, but forecasts do not irrigate fields. Only sustained rainfall can rescue the Kharif season from drifting further off course. Until then, every cloud carries hope, every dry day compounds anxiety, and every missed shower reminds India that its agricultural fortunes remain inseparable from the caprices of the monsoon. (The writer is a farmer and resident of Latur district. Views personal.)

US Vice President JD Vance, his family arrive in Delhi

  • PTI
  • Apr 21, 2025
  • 2 min read


NEW DELHI: US Vice President J D Vance arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit to India against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the two strategic partners to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel and a delegation of senior US government officials.


The US Vice President and the Second Lady were received at the Palam air base by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.


The American leader was also accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival.

In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for the Vances after holding wide-ranging talks with the US Vice President.


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi at the talks.


The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries.


Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.


New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.


On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.


In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.


Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.


The US Vice President and his family will travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, people familiar with the matter said.


In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.


After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur on the second half of April 23.


The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

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