Grape farmers in Maharashtra are facing the threat of severe crop losses as drought and water scarcity put vineyards at risk with growers warning that prolonged dry conditions could destroy vines and affect the 2027 harvest.
Nashik district received only 34.3 per cent of its normal rainfall during the South-West Monsoon, which withdrew from the region about a month ago. The rainfall deficit has affected kharif crops, including pearl millet, onions and other rain-fed produce.
Farmers said existing water reserves could help sustain vineyards until the December January harvest, but shortages continuing into 2027 could leave established vines unable to survive.
Vasantrao Dhikale, a 59 year old grape farmer from Pimpalgaon Baswant, said his five acre vineyard was under threat. Rain towards the end of the monsoon had replenished ponds and water bodies in grape growing areas, providing some relief until the harvest. However, he remained uncertain about how farmers would manage if drought conditions persisted next year.
Kailas Bhosale president of the Maharashtra State Grape Growers’ Association, said the situation was particularly serious in Solapur and Sangli districts, where some farmers might not be able to harvest their grapes this year.
Although Sangli received around 125 millimetres of rain in the preceding week, high temperatures and evaporation continued to reduce soil moisture. Bhosale, who owns a 17 acre vineyard in Dindori taluka warned that farmers might sustain their crops through 2026 but risk losing the vines in 2027 if water supplies dwindled.
He said irrigation authorities might prioritise drinking water and other essential needs under severe drought conditions, reducing the availability of water for agriculture. Farmers could require government support to protect their vineyards as they had during previous droughts.
Bhosale also raised concerns about the El Niño weather phenomenon and forecasts of drier winter conditions which could increase crop water requirements and intensify pressure on already limited supplies.
Replanting vineyards could cost at least Rs 5 lakh per acre, he said adding that newly established vines generally take four to five years to produce their first harvest. Losing an existing vineyard could therefore leave farmers facing substantial replanting expenses and several years without income.
According to Bhosale nearly 1.7 million farmers and agricultural labourers are involved in Maharashtra’s grape industry, highlighting the potential economic impact of widespread vineyard losses.
Raosaheb Ugale, who owns a five-acre vineyard in Pimpalgaon Baswant, said farmers were anticipating losses of around 40 per cent in the grape harvest due to unfavourable weather and water scarcity. Soybeans and onions were also facing risks.
Ugale said farmers with land near rivers and ponds would be better positioned to cultivate onions in the next season because of their access to water. He questioned the viability of growing crops when water might be available for only a limited period.
Onion cultivation may nevertheless expand in some areas as farmers look to compensate for losses during the current season.
Bharat Dighole, founder president of the Maharashtra State Onion Growers Farmers Association, said water scarce conditions could reduce certain pest and disease problems compared with seasons of excessive rainfall when waterlogging can cause onions to rot.
He said some farmers might increase the area under onion cultivation in response to these conditions and to recover income lost from other crops.
The situation highlights the growing challenges facing Maharashtra’s farmers as inadequate rainfall, high temperatures and uncertain water availability threaten agricultural production and the long term viability of vineyards.