Pune: Extreme heat with 42-47°C in parts of Maharashtra has begun scorching vegetable crops in the fields, with farmers and grower groups warning of steep production losses and a likely surge in prices.Reports from districts such as Amravati and Akola indicated that standing vegetable crops are unable to withstand the prolonged heat stress, leading to wilting, poor growth and crop damage.Shriram Gadhave, president of All India Vegetable Growers Association, said most vegetables vegetables have a sustaining capacity only up to around 38-40°C. He said, “Beyond that, their physiology changes — foliage development stops and the plants fail to grow properly. In the current heat of 46-47°C, crops are not surviving.”The impact of intense heat is being seen across vegetables, with tomatoes among the worst hit. “The condition of most vegetable crops is very poor. Production will be severely affected and prices may rise,” Gadhave said, adding that losses in some cases could range between 50% and 100%.Farmers on the ground reported similar damage. In Narayangaon near Pune, farmers said the prolonged spell of intense heat has severely affected vegetable cultivation over the past three to four weeks.Datta Thorat, head of a Narayangaon-based farmer producer company who works with around 300 farmers, said crops are struggling to grow, with many drying up or rotting in the fields. “Most vegetables, including tomato and onion, are under stress, leading to a significant dip in output. Growers in his network are reporting losses of around 30–40%, with the heat impacting both crop growth and market arrivals,” he said.“Temperatures have gone beyond 40°C and are touching up to 46°C. There is a lot of distress in farming right now. Vegetable crops are not growing properly. Their growth has stalled. They are drying up and even rotting in the fields. Almost all farmers in our producer company are reporting losses. Production has been hit by around 30-40%. Crops like tomato, onion and other vegetables are all affected,” Thorat added.Farmers in Nashik said high temperatures are directly impacting yield by affecting flowering and fruit formation, particularly in heat-sensitive crops. Sanjay Pawar, a vegetable grower in the north Maharashtra district, said, “Vegetables such as bitter gourd and other creepers are among the worst affected. High temperatures lead to flower drop, preventing fruit development. Several vegetables, including chilli and capsicum, are showing stress symptoms. The result is reduced productivity.”He said, “For bitter gourd crop, flowers start dropping once temperatures cross 42°C. Once this happens, flowers don’t convert into fruits. The result is reduced yield. I have seen a 30–40% drop in yield. This is happening in many creeper vegetables, like bottle gourd and ridge gourd. Similar is the condition with crops such as chilli and capsicum.”Agro-meteorologists said the current heat is above normal and is increasing water stress across crops. Kailas Dakhore, an agro-meteorologist with Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, said, “Temperatures above 43°C across regions such as Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra have sharply increased evapotranspiration rates, leading to higher irrigation needs. Both vegetable crops and fruit orchards are under stress, with risks such as fruit drop and reduced yields unless managed carefully.“He said, “Water requirements have gone up and irrigation frequency needs to be increased. Crops such as pomegranate and citrus require careful management to prevent fruit drop. In banana, prolonged exposure to temperatures above 40°C leads to dryness. Vegetables also need more water. Farmers who have access to irrigation are managing. Others are relying on measures like mulching or shade. Some relief is expected over the next few days because of cloud cover, but heatwave conditions may persist in some pockets.“
