Untimely rains ahead of harvest worry farmers in central, western India

Reports suggest standing crops in some parts of Maharashtra, MP and Gujarat may have been impacted, though the exact extent of damage can be gauged only after a proper survey

Sudden rains, accompanied by gusty winds and hailstorm over the past few days, have worried farmers across Central and western parts of the country who are already battling a relatively early advent of summer.

Reports suggest that standing crops in some districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and in the Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat seem to have been impacted by hailstorms, though the exact extent of damage can be gauged only after a proper survey by government officials.

If the showers and gusty winds continue for a few more days, the damage can be more widespread.

In Gujarat,