📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Alosh Bennett
Agriculture
Maharashtra Farmers Sell Cattle as Drought‑Hit Crops Fail
✍️ Business Today
🗓 09 Oct 2026, 05:02 PM
👁 15
In Maharashtra, farmers are liquidating cattle to survive as prolonged drought has crippled crop production, creating a fodder shortage across 265 talukas.
Maharashtra’s drought has reached a critical point, forcing farmers to sell cattle in order to cover losses from failed crops. The state’s 265 talukas are now facing a severe fodder crisis as livestock feed becomes scarce.
Agricultural officials report that the lack of rainfall has devastated staple crops, leaving farmers with little income and no alternative sources of revenue. To sustain their remaining livestock, many have resorted to selling their cattle, a move that signals the depth of the crisis.
The government has announced emergency measures to address the fodder shortage, but the immediate impact on rural livelihoods remains stark. Farmers are now grappling with the dual challenge of securing food for their animals while managing dwindling financial resources.
Experts warn that if the drought persists, the region could see a further decline in livestock numbers, exacerbating the already strained agricultural economy.
Agricultural officials report that the lack of rainfall has devastated staple crops, leaving farmers with little income and no alternative sources of revenue. To sustain their remaining livestock, many have resorted to selling their cattle, a move that signals the depth of the crisis.
The government has announced emergency measures to address the fodder shortage, but the immediate impact on rural livelihoods remains stark. Farmers are now grappling with the dual challenge of securing food for their animals while managing dwindling financial resources.
Experts warn that if the drought persists, the region could see a further decline in livestock numbers, exacerbating the already strained agricultural economy.