Mumbai, May 21: Ahead of the upcoming kharif season, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed banks across the state not to deny or delay crop loans based on farmers’ CIBIL scores, while also warning fertiliser dealers against forcing cultivators to purchase unwanted products.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on kharif preparedness at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, Fadnavis said farmers should not face hurdles in accessing agricultural credit due to poor credit ratings. He stated that clear instructions had been issued to all banks, from headquarters to branch level, after consultations with RBI officials.
Farm loan waiver before June 30: CM
The Chief Minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing the promised farm loan waiver scheme before June 30, once pending data from remaining districts is received. He said discussions on the waiver have already taken place at the cabinet level.
With Maharashtra’s kharif cultivation spread across nearly 152 lakh hectares — including around 88 lakh hectares under soybean and cotton — the state government is preparing for a challenging monsoon season.
According to preliminary forecasts, rainfall this year could remain around 88 per cent of the long-term average, with uneven distribution likely in parts of Marathwada, West Vidarbha and North Maharashtra.
Fadnavis warned that prolonged dry spells between rainfall events may increase crop stress during the season. To tackle the situation, the government has directed speedy execution of Jal Yukta Shivar water conservation works and asked district administrations to prepare contingency plans.
The state has assured adequate availability of seeds for soybean, cotton, maize, paddy, tur and bajra, along with a planned fertiliser stock of nearly 48 lakh metric tonnes.
Action against fertiliser dealers violating norms
Taking a tough stand against fertiliser dealers, Fadnavis said farmers must not be compelled to buy additional products while purchasing essential fertilisers such as DAP or urea.
He revealed that licences of more than 400 fertiliser dealers have already been suspended or cancelled for violating norms.
The Chief Minister also launched several digital agriculture initiatives aimed at modernising farm services. These include the AI-powered “Mahavistar 2.0” app offering information on weather, pest management and crop prices in local languages, and the “Cropsap” platform that enables farmers to upload crop photographs for disease and pest diagnosis.
A digital crop survey system has also been introduced to improve accuracy in crop insurance records, while a CBDC-based payment mechanism will allow government scheme funds to be transferred directly into farmers’ digital wallets.
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Highlighting Maharashtra’s agricultural export performance, Fadnavis said the state contributes 94 per cent of India’s grape exports, 86 per cent of banana exports and 85 per cent of onion exports.
He added that assistance worth over Rs 91,659 crore has been distributed to farmers through the MahaDBT platform during 2025-26.
The Chief Minister told officials that nearly 25 per cent old fertiliser stock is currently available in the state, while fresh supplies are also expected to arrive soon.
However, due to the international situation, pressure on fertiliser availability may arise. He therefore stressed the need for strict district-level planning to prevent misuse, hoarding and diversion of fertilisers.
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