Marginal Adverse Impact on Crop from Early Monsoon

The early arrival of the southwest monsoon, coupled with exceptionally high rainfall in May across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, has had a marginal adverse impact on horticultural crops such as onion and tomato.

- SANDIP DAS

However, overall horticulture production being robust, the agriculture-sector value addition in the year may not be adversely impacted. The sector contributes roughly one-third of gross value added (GVA) in the farm sector.

According to traders and farmers, about 95% of the rabi onion crop in Maharashtra had already been harvested and stored by mid-May. Only a small portion of the standing crop was affected by the excess rainfall last month. Maharashtra accounts for over 40% of the country's onion output.

Bharat Digole, president of the Maharashtra State Onion Producers' Organisation, ruled out any supply constraints, noting that rabi production—which constitutes 70–75% of total annual output—is estimated at 22.7 million tonne for the 2024–25 crop year (July–June). This marks an 18% increase compared to the previous year.