Cloudy Weather Devastates Maharashtra Fruit Crops, ₹10,000 Cr Loss Feared

• Persistent cloudy weather in Maharashtra is causing a serious crisis for fruit orchards, leading to rapid spread of fungal and insect-borne diseases.
• Agricultural experts predict a significant decline in production for grapes, mangoes, cashews, pomegranates, and oranges due to increased humidity and disease incidence.
• Specific diseases like brown rot, downy mildew, scab, and oil disease are affecting major fruit crops, increasing cultivation costs for farmers.
• An average production reduction of 10-20% is estimated across various fruit crops, potentially leading to losses of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 crore for farmers.

Why It Matters: Cloudy weather causes fruit crop diseases, risking billions in farmer losses.