Pune: Around 40% of the soybean crop in the district comes under stress following a prolonged gap in rainfall during its crucial crop development stage, as per a report by the district agriculture department on kharif crops, including soybean.Many farmers in the district’s major soybean-growing belts are fearing significant losses if the rainfall does not revive soon. As per the report, the stress has been particularly visible in Shirur, Daund, Baramati and Indapur tehsils, while several pockets of Haveli, Khed, Ambegaon and Junnar have also reported deterioration.Many farmers in the district’s major soybean-growing belts are fearing significant losses if the rainfall does not revive soon.“About 30 to 40% of the crop was under stress in the district. If we do not get rainfall, the figure may go up. The prolonged gap in rainfall in Shirur, Daund, Baramati and Indapur has affected crops severely, and in several places the plantations have withered. This was not the case last year,” Sanjay Kachole, district agriculture officer, told TOI.The concern was not merely about the area currently under stress but the stage of the crop at which the rainfall deficit occurred. Soybeans require adequate moisture during flowering and pod formation, and a prolonged dry spell during this stage can directly affect the number and size of pods and, consequently, the yield.Sambhaji Bidgar, a soybean grower from Nhavare village in Shirur, said his crop had already withered, and now even rainfall may not be enough to recover the losses.“We have lost the formative period of the crop. We needed good rainfall when the pods were being formed, and the size of the pod was crucial because that determines the beans. We fear more than 50% loss of harvest,” Bidgar said.Farmers also said the crop had initially developed well, but the prolonged dry spell at a critical stage had changed the situation rapidly.“Till a few weeks ago, we were expecting a good crop. But the rainfall stopped when the crop needed moisture the most. Now the plants were drying and the pods were not developing. If the rain did not come soon, there would be a substantial reduction in production,” said a soybean grower, Kaluram Thorat from Daund.Another farmer from Baramati said the impact varied from field to field depending on soil moisture and the timing of the last rainfall.“Some fields were still surviving because they had better moisture. But in areas with dry land, the crop was under severe stress. Farmers have already invested in seeds, fertilisers, labour and other inputs. A poor harvest would add to their financial burden,” said Prashant Kokare, a farmer from Baramati.Soybean is the second-largest Kharif crop sown in Pune district after paddy. This year, it has been cultivated on around 44,000 hectares across 13 tehsils.The district has seen a significant increase in soybean cultivation over the past decade. Traditionally known for sugarcane production, farmers in several parts of Pune have increasingly opted for soybean because it is a relatively short-duration crop.However, agriculture officials said the crop’s short duration also makes timely rainfall particularly important.“Soybeans were sensitive to a rainfall gap during the reproductive stage. If the dry spell continued, the percentage of stressed crops would increase and ultimately it would be reflected in production,” an agriculture department official said.The district recorded deficient rainfall in Aug, while rainfall activity in Sept so far has also remained less encouraging. Officials said the coming weeks would be crucial for soybean as well as other Kharif crops.“If we did not get rainfall, then it was going to be a tough time even for paddy growers in the district,” Kachole said.For farmers, the timely return of rainfall remains crucial to prevent further losses. “Every passing day was adding to our worry,” Bidgar said.
