For Maharashtra's farmers reeling under drought, 2026 brings their own 1972
Mumbai: They may not have witnessed the devastating drought of 1972, but they grew up listening to stories of the hardship endured by their fathers and grandfathers. Now, the current generation of farmers across Maharashtra 's agrarian belt say the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2026 drought have given their generation its own share of unprecedented hardships. The 1972-73 drought in Maharashtra affected nearly 25 million people in almost 80 per cent of the State’s agrarian belt.
Mumbai: They may not have witnessed the devastating drought of 1972, but they grew up listening to stories of the hardship endured by their fathers and grandfathers. Now, the current generation of farmers across Maharashtra 's agrarian belt say the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2026 drought have given their generation its own share of unprecedented hardships.
The 1972-73 drought in Maharashtra affected nearly 25 million people in almost 80 per cent of the State’s agrarian belt.
From 1960 to 2026, Maharashtra has witnessed around a dozen droughts. However, the 1972 drought remains by far the most unprecedented, creating a major dent in the rural economy that took several years to recover.
“The situation is very bad and it will get worse,” said Suresh Khot, a sugarcane farmer from Sangli district. “Our parents used to speak about the 1972 drought and now nature can be unproductive. Now we can say that we have seen both the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the 2026 drought,” added Khot.
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“My parents told us how difficult it was for them to manage the 1972 drought. We know how we managed during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, we know how difficult it will be for the farmers to handle the 2026-27 drought,” added Ajit Patil, a sugarcane farmer from Sangli.
“What is happening now is just the trailer…the worst is yet to come,” said former MLC Pasha Patel, the Bamboo Man of India, who hails from Latur, one of the worst drought-affected districts. “The water reservoirs and rivers are drying up. The situation is grim. The impact of the drought will last for two years,” added Patel, chairman of the Maharashtra State Agricultural Price Commission and executive chairman of the Chief Minister's Environment and Sustainable Development Task Force.
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“Much as expected, the super El Niño-induced dry conditions are intensifying the drought situation across Maharashtra. We can only hope that before Dussehra and Diwali, there will be some rainfall to bring relief to the farmers,” said Vijay Gaikwad, a Mumbai-based agriculture expert and writer who hails from Ahilyanagar district, which is also affected by drought-like conditions.
"Drought and erratic weather have become inseparable parts of farmers' lives. We all know that El Niño is creating havoc. However, we are not in a position to tackle another drought, the situation will be bad in the years to come,” added B N Fand-Patil, an onion grower from Ahilyanagar district.
“Things would not be easy growing further, we have to prepare and plan for the days and months ahead,” added Chandrakant Mokal, president, Maharashtra’s Mango Growers’ Association, who hails from Raigad district.