Excess rain in Marathwada destroys soyabean crop worth Rs 2,500 crore

India's domestic consumption of soyabean is 5 million tonnes and this year total production is estimated to touch 6.5 million tonnes

After Madhya Pradesh, excess rainfall in Maharashtra is playing havoc for soyabean crop. Certain regions of Maharashtra especially Marathwada, which have been big producer of soyabean are facing flood like situation. 

The estimated loss in value terms could be of Rs 2500 crore. The floods destroyed almost 50 per cent of the Kharif crops in the districts of Latur, Beed, Osmanabad and Nanded in Marathwada region. 

  

“The preliminary reports from districts indicate 50 per cent Kharif crops have been washed out due to floods. The farmers growing soyabean, cotton and jowari will be among the worst hit. The exact crop loss both in terms of area of cultivation and financial would be ascertained once the water in the fields recede,” said Agriculture Minister Pandurang Phundkar.

In a special cabinet meeting held in Aurangabad on Tuesday, the government has announced a development package worth Rs 49,248 crore for the region. The package consists of important irrigation and infrastructure projects and is expected to be completed with in the stipulated time.

The state government has also taken a decision that it would not carry out farm-level post-surveys to measure crop damage.

Of the total 49 lakh hectares of crops sown, soyabean accounted for a stretch of 15 lakh hectares. The remaining stretch covered cotton, jowari, tur dal, moong, udat and others. This year, the region was expecting bumper crop of soyabean but the heavy rains have washed out half of the crop. Of the total area under cultivation in Marathwada, two thirds of the area comprises cotton and soyabean.

"The market participants are assessing the damage caused by wet weather in soybean growing state of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Heavy rains forecast during the last week of September, which will affect harvesting. There are reports of deteriorating growing conditions as 71 per cent of the area impacted by excessive rainfall," said Angel Commodities in a Report. 

According to Soybean Processors Association of India (Sopa), Soybean in Madhya Pradesh stood at 53.610 lakh hectare, in Maharashtra at 38.247 and in Rajasthan at 10.052 lakh hectare as on September 30, which was 58.070, 33.553 and 10.914 lakh hectare respectively on same date last year.

In Maharashtra, area under soyabean was expected to increase by 6 per cent which is second largest producer Maharashtra.

Aniruddha Patil, a soyabean grower from Latur said, 'After battling with drought for three consecutive years, this time we were expecting some positive change. But excess rain has reduced my soyabean field to marshland which was cultivated over nine acres. But now this rain fury has destroyed everything and the loss is huge."

It is estimated that soyabean acreage in Madhya Pradesh may decrease by about 8 per cent over last year while in Rajasthan is expected to fall by about 15 per cent to 20 per cent due to shift towards pulses. 

The reduction in the import duty of refine and crude edible oil in the country also pressured the soybean prices. Currently, a quintal of soybean commands Rs 4000-4200 at the markets and farmers earn Rs 80,000-1 lakh per acre every year for soyabean produce. 

India's domestic consumption of soyabean is of 5 million tonnes and this year total production is estimated to touch some 6.5 million tonnes. The country could export 1.5 million tonnes of soybean meal this season.