Water scarcity is threatening onion cultivation in Takali Haji and nearby villages in Pune district, with farmers reportedly abandoning plans to raise onion seedlings after weak rainfall left fields without adequate moisture and wells near their lowest levels.
The crisis has emerged in the Bet area of Takali Haji in Shirur taluka, a region known for onion production. The affected belt includes Jambut, Pimperkhed, Wadner, Phakte, Chandoh, Nimgaon Dudh, Mhashe and Dongargan, as well as areas along the Ghod and Kukadi rivers. Onion is a major source of income for farmers in these villages, where thousands of onion storage structures have been built.
Farmers normally begin preparing onion seedlings after the Ganesh festival, followed by accelerated planting during the Dussehra and Diwali period. The planting season also creates significant demand for agricultural labour. This year, however, the absence of sufficient soil moisture has led farmers to reconsider the crop before the planting cycle begins.
Several farmers had already prepared their fields after harvesting soybean and pearl millet. The land is ready for onion cultivation, but the lack of water has created uncertainty over whether planting can go ahead. According to the report, farmers have begun turning away from raising onion seedlings, raising the possibility of a substantial decline in the area under onion cultivation this season.
The pressure on water is also affecting orchards. Farmers are trying to use the available water to protect pomegranate and other fruit crops as groundwater levels fall. Although dams in the Kukadi project are reported to be full, the government’s stated priority of supplying drinking water over irrigation has left farmers uncertain about the volume of water that will reach rivers and canals.
The issue therefore extends beyond a single crop. A reduction in onion planting could affect farm earnings, seasonal labour demand and the use of the region’s onion storage infrastructure. It also highlights the immediate conflict between drinking-water requirements and irrigation demand in a farming belt dependent on rainfall, wells, canals and river flows.
The next stage of the season will depend on water availability for field preparation, seedling development and planting. For farmers who have already prepared their land, the decision on whether sufficient water will be released through the irrigation network remains the immediate concern.
