Hailstorm harms crops in Aurangabad

Aurangabad, March 13 (ANI): Sudden rains and a hailstorm have damaged standing crops of wheat, barley and gram in over thousand hectares of farmland in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district.

The nine sub-divisions of the district have received 9.6 mm rainfall and a hailstorm. Heavy downpour has left the local farmers dejected. The wheat crop has incurred the maximum damage.

Farmers said that they were in urgent need of relief from the State government.

"We suffered huge losses because of rain. Our standing crop of barley and fodder crop were damaged severely...we demand assistance from the government for our losses," said Bansal Jadhav, a farmer.

Agriculture continues to be the main occupation of the rural people in Maharashtra, even though the State in highly industrialised. By Abdul Hadi(ANI)