Overview
- Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led a national review, directing crop‑cutting experiments, close coordination with states and insurers, and time‑bound claim settlement, with MSP procurement assured including support via NAFED and NCCF for pulses.
- Andhra Pradesh reported damage across 42 mandals in 12 districts, with losses pegged at about ₹63 crore, including maize over 4,840 hectares, paddy over 1,534 hectares, black gram over 310 hectares, and horticulture losses across 1,301 hectares.
- Maharashtra’s Marathwada division recorded crop damage on roughly 11,572 hectares affecting more than 20,000 farmers, and officials confirmed two deaths due to lightning between March 16 and 19.
- Local assessments flagged severe hits to high‑value horticulture, with grape, mango and banana losses reported in Pune and Nashik, where export‑ready grape clusters were cracked and fallen after hail.
- Fresh reports from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar pointed to lodged wheat, quality risks for mustard and pea, and storm‑related maize losses, with state agencies initiating field surveys and issuing farmer advisories to expedite harvest and safe storage.