Stories
Maharashtra Battles Fodder Crisis: New Policy Aims to Combat 20% Deficit Amid Drought
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CNBC TV18•01-10-2026, 07:21
Maharashtra Battles Fodder Crisis: New Policy Aims to Combat 20% Deficit Amid Drought
- •Maharashtra faces a severe 20% fodder deficit for its 2.78 crore livestock due to ongoing drought conditions.
- •Green fodder availability is 22.79% short, while dry fodder faces a 21.43% deficit.
- •The state government launched a Fodder Development Policy with a ’496 crore allocation, aiming to create 12,000 jobs.
- •The policy will utilize fallow, unused government, and grazing lands for expanded fodder cultivation.
- •Immediate focus includes producing water-efficient fodder, while long-term goals involve improving nutritional value and increasing overall production.
Key Questions Answered
Maharashtra is facing a green fodder deficit of 22.79%, with a requirement of 1,176.78 lakh metric tonnes against an availability of 907.49 lakh metric tonnes. Meanwhile, the dry fodder deficit stands at 21.43%, with a requirement of 377.87 lakh metric tonnes and an availability of 296.62 lakh metric tonnes.
The Maharashtra government has announced an allocation of ₹496 crore for the Fodder Development Policy, which is expected to generate approximately 12,000 jobs while addressing immediate and long-term fodder shortages.
The state government declared a drought under the Trigger 1 category in 265 out of 358 tehsils, covering roughly 74% of the tehsils across Maharashtra.
