Summer was just beginning for most of India when dark clouds descended and the Southwest monsoon made an early entry during 2025. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared the monsoon onset over Kerala on May 24, 2025, more than a week earlier than the usual June 1 date. This marks the start of the June–September monsoon season, which brings over 70% of India’s annual rainfall. While various large-scale oceanic patterns and local factors have contributed to this shift, its effects on agriculture, and in turn food security, are already being felt across Maharashtra. Experts fear that this early monsoon could disrupt the sowing and harvesting cycles for the kharif season. The damage is already visible for summer crops like bajra, jowar, groundnuts, and vegetables, many of which have been hit hard by the early rains. The Maharashtra Agriculture Department has urged farmers to hold off on kharif sowing, as the monsoon is expected to slow after May 27, 2025. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, WOTR spoke to farmers across Maharashtra to understand their losses, coping strategies, and expectations. Field notes Dharashiv Amruta Sangle, 27, from Paranda taluka, Dharashiv, watched her entire onion harvest over two acres get destroyed by the early monsoon. She shared that sowing other crops, such as sugarcane, sorghum, wheat, and soybeans, now feels risky due to the uncertain weather conditions. The heavy rains have left farmers anxious. Amruta has now decided to sow urad dal (black gram), which has a shorter cultivation period. Kishor Gore, 25, also from Dharashiv, highlighted another concern—fodder for livestock. Silage in the region needs to be dried under the sun before it's ready for use, but with continuous rains, the drying process has stalled. “This could lead to a drop in milk production,” Gore warns, as cattle fed poor-quality silage produce less milk. He further explained that a delay in kharif sowing will push back the rabi cycle, potentially affecting jowar cultivation later in the year. “Water won't be available beyond a certain period, so harvesting must be timely,” says Gore. He adds that unpredictable weather during the rabi season could further impact production. However, Gore is relying on informed decision-making by following weather updates regularly. Unlike others in his village rushing to buy soybean seeds and wrap sowing early, he’s waiting for more clarity on the weather. Ahilyanagar In opposition to the farmers in the Dharashiv region who are recovering from losses incurred due to the rains, Balkrishna Saravde from Patoda village, Beed district, sees the monsoon as a blessing. “Early and heavy rains will raise water tables here,” he says. In drought-prone Beed, this could mean enough water for the whole year. He plans to sow soybean and black gram soon, despite official advice to wait. “Even if it stops raining, I can use the drip irrigation system installed in my farmland, thanks to the higher water table,” he adds. Kashinath Kharmale from Parner in Ahilyanagar shares this optimism. His village received 314 mm of rainfall by May 27 2025. Although some crops, such as tomatoes, were lost, he believes the rains have ensured year-round water availability. “The watershed structures here will store the monsoon water to last through the rabi season,” he notes. Satara Similar to Dharashiv, in Naravne village, Maan taluka, Satara district, farmer Masjid Dange reported damage to about 20 gunthas (0.2 hectares) of land where coriander and onions once stood. Still, Dange says quick harvesting decisions—guided by FarmPrecise alerts—helped limit losses. Like others, he fears delayed kharif sowing will impact the rabi season, possibly leading to skipped cropping cycles and even forced cattle sales, harming the rural economy. Another concern is livestock safety. “So far, two cows and twelve goats have died due to structures falling during the heavy rains,” Dange shares. The silver lining? An uninterrupted water supply and wells brimming with water. “That’s one thing we won’t have to worry about,” he says. The last time monsoon arrived this early in Maharashtra was in 2009, on May 23. None of the farmers interviewed could recall such intense and early rains before. With over 29,000 hectares of farmland affected as of May 31, 2025 farmers across Maharashtra are now adapting their strategies, hoping for a more stable kharif season ahead. Source : WOTR website