Stories
Heavy crop damage due to rain in Uttar Pradesh creates crisis for farmers
- •Heavy rain and strong winds starting September 25 across several districts of Uttar Pradesh have caused severe damage to paddy, sesame, and bajra crops.
- •Paddy crops that were ripe and ready for harvesting have flattened to the ground, while waterlogging in fields has worsened the crisis for farmers.
- •Farmer Ranzod Singh warned that continued rain could delay paddy harvesting by 20 days, which will subsequently impact the sowing of wheat.
- •Farmers have demanded an immediate government survey of the affected areas and appropriate financial compensation to recover from heavy economic losses.
- •Waterlogging and moisture risk causing fungal infections in fallen crops, threatening the yield quality and making manual harvesting with laborers much more expensive.
Key Questions Answered
Paddy, sesame, and bajra (pearl millet) crops suffered the maximum damage due to heavy rain and strong winds starting from the morning of September 25 in several districts including Shahjahanpur.
Waterlogging makes machine harvesting difficult, forcing farmers to use manual labor which increases costs. Furthermore, prolonged moisture risks fungal infections, lowering yield quality and making it harder for farmers to secure a fair market price.
The Uttar Pradesh government has accelerated damage assessments, directing administrative officials and joint teams to distribute relief. For instance, during the 2026-27 unseasonal rainfall and storms, thousands of affected farmers across districts like Shahjahanpur received financial assistance under relief programs.
