भाषा:

Drought in Marathwada has turned into a fodder crisis for livestock keepers, with the price of jowar fodder (kadbi) climbing from a top rate of about ₹2,500 for 100 bundles last year to nearly ₹4,000 now, Kisan Tak reported on 16 October 2026, citing PTI. Weak monsoon rain has hit kharif crops across the region’s eight districts, and traders at the Jafar Gate fodder market in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar say they now have to go to five or six villages just to load one truck. The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 305 of the state’s 358 talukas, promised an initial relief of ₹5,000 into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali, and said it will buy fodder from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP).

Key facts

PointDetail
RegionMarathwada, Maharashtra (eight districts hit by weak monsoon)
Jowar fodder price, last yearUp to about ₹2,500 per 100 bundles
Jowar fodder price, nowClose to ₹4,000 per 100 bundles (about ₹1,500 more)
Where traders are buyingMantha and Jintur in Parbhani district
Drought-declared talukas305 out of 358 in Maharashtra
Initial relief₹5,000 into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali (announced by CM Devendra Fadnavis)
Fodder purchaseState says it will buy fodder from farmers at MSP
Fodder stock leftFrom about 90 days to seven months, depending on the area
Reported16 October 2026

Why kadbi has become so scarce

In Marathwada, cattle and buffaloes live mainly on dry kadbi, the stalks left after the jowar harvest. This year poor rain cut jowar and bajra yields, so far less stalk came out of the fields, and farmers are selling only what they can spare.

Sheikh Salim, a trader over 70 years old who has been linked to the Jafar Gate market since childhood, said this year is harder than the 1972 drought, as there are many more animals now. Samad Sheikh, 30 years in the trade, said he had never seen anything like it. Traders are now bringing fodder from Parbhani district, adding transport cost to every load.

What the government has announced

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said an initial relief amount of ₹5,000 will reach farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali. The state has also said it will purchase fodder from farmers at MSP, giving growers with spare fodder a fair outlet. In Nanded, Latur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, farmers are being urged to grow fodder crops, and those with irrigation to sow fodder this rabi. Existing stocks range from about 90 days to seven months by area, so some pockets could run short before the next harvest.

What it means for dairy farmers in Marathwada

A jump from ₹2,500 to ₹4,000 per 100 bundles is a rise of roughly 60 percent in the cost of the region’s main roughage. That money comes straight out of milk income, since the milk rate does not rise with fodder cost. A thin ration cuts milk, and a cow that loses condition now may come into heat and calve late.

Where stocks may last only around 90 days, farmers risk paying even more in summer or selling good animals cheaply. Acting early on relief, MSP sales and fodder planning softens that blow.

What farmers should do now

  • Make sure the ₹5,000 relief reaches you. Check that your bank account is active and Aadhaar-linked, and your details are correct with the talathi or tehsil office.
  • Ask about MSP fodder purchase and fodder seed. If you have spare fodder, ask the taluka agriculture or animal husbandry office how the MSP purchase will work. If you have water, ask about fodder seed and sow a rabi fodder crop such as jowar or maize.
  • Store kadbi properly. Stack it on a raised base, off wet ground, and cover the top so rain and dew do not cause mould. Never feed mouldy fodder.
  • Chop before feeding. A chaff cutter cuts waste sharply, as animals eat chopped kadbi fully.
  • Turn any green fodder into silage or hay. Chop green maize or jowar, press it airtight in a pit or bag and seal it; it keeps for months. Sun-dry thin grasses as hay.
  • Plan your stock. Count how many days your fodder will last, and cut unproductive animals early.
  • Add mineral mixture to dry rations. A kadbi-based diet is low in minerals and vitamins, so give mineral mixture daily. See our mineral mixture guide and dairy feeding guide.
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Frequently asked questions

How much has jowar fodder become costlier in Marathwada?

100 bundles of jowar fodder cost up to about ₹2,500 last year and close to ₹4,000 now.

How many talukas in Maharashtra are under drought?

The state government has declared drought in 305 of its 358 talukas.

What help has the Maharashtra government announced?

₹5,000 initial relief before Diwali, fodder purchase from farmers at MSP, and a push to sow fodder where irrigation exists.

Source: Kisan Tak, 16 Oct 2026. Written by the IMN Pyrophos team in our own words.

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