But, according to Joint Director of Agriculture, Nashik division, Yuvraj Salunke, the overall damage to kharif crops in Maharashtra was marginal. He said that the situation was not alarming and the onset of the current dry spell would improve the chances of a good harvest. However, about 10 per cent of the standing crop of onions have been damaged.

Salunke, in his preliminary report has pointed out that standing crops on 458 hectares of Jalgaon district have been damaged. About 1,220 farmers from 152 villages have been affected. The crops in these areas include bananas, bajra, jower, groundnut and cotton. In Dhule district, rains have damaged crops on 309 hectares. The crops include vegetables, cereals and pulses.

Nashik has 6.61 lakh hectares under kharif crops, including cereals (on 4.97 lakh hectares), pulses (on 57,900 hectares),oilseeds (on 73,500 hectares) and sugarcane (on 25,600 hectares).

Onion prices have skyrocketed in the wholesale markets to an unprecedented high, as a result of widespread damage to the crop. At Lasalgaon marketyard onion prices ranged between Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,300 today. At Pimpalgaon Baswant, prices were up to Rs 2360 per quintal, in Manmad Rs 2,200 per quintal and in Satana, a whopping Rs 3,500 per quintal.

The onions available in the markets were harvested and stocked in the last Rabi season in April-May and the stocks are dwindling. The arrival of onions at the markets have drastically reduced. For instance, at Lasalgaon, which receives about 1,000 tractor trailer-loads (each containing 30 quintals) normally and up to 1,400 tractor-loads during a glut is receiving a meagre 200 to 250 tractors and bullock carts.