A Western Disturbance brought unseasonal light to moderate rainfall across multiple Rajasthan districts on November 4, 2025, including Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Kota, Tonk, Bharatpur, Nagaur, and Sikar. At the Bhamashah Mandi in Kota — a major agricultural market — approximately 2 lakh sacks of agricultural produce had arrived, of which 1.5 lakh sacks were paddy. With goods piled in the open due to high arrivals, sudden rain soaked a large number of paddy sacks, causing concern among farmers and traders. The IMD issued a fog and mist alert for districts from November 5 onwards as the weather began to clear. The unseasonal rain highlighted the vulnerability of farmers during the rabi sowing season and the urgent need for covered storage infrastructure at mandis. Kota, a key paddy and mustard growing region, faces recurring post-harvest loss challenges.
Rajasthan: Unseasonal Rain from Western Disturbance Damages Rabi Crops and Open Produce at Kota Mandi
A Western Disturbance brought unseasonal light to moderate rainfall across multiple Rajasthan districts on November 4, 2025, including Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Kota, Tonk, Bharatpur, Nagaur, and Sikar. At the Bhamashah Mandi in Kota — a major agricultural market — approximately 2 lakh sacks of agricultural produce had arrived, of which 1.5 lakh sacks were paddy. With goods piled in the open due to high arrivals, sudden rain soaked a large number of paddy sacks, causing concern among farmers and traders. The IMD issued a fog and mist alert for districts from November 5 onwards as the weather began to clear. The unseasonal rain highlighted the vulnerability of farmers during the rabi sowing season and the urgent need for covered storage infrastructure at mandis. Kota, a key paddy and mustard growing region, faces recurring post-harvest loss challenges.
Key facts
- Western Disturbance brought unseasonal light to moderate rainfall across Rajasthan on November 4, 2025.
- Multiple districts affected including Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Kota, and Sikar.
- At Kota's Bhamashah Mandi, 1.5 lakh sacks of paddy out of 2 lakh total were soaked by rain.
- IMD issued fog and mist alert for districts from November 5 as weather cleared.
- Event highlighted vulnerability of farmers during rabi sowing season to unseasonal weather.
- Urgent need for covered storage infrastructure at mandis demonstrated by the crop damage.
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Which weather phenomenon was responsible for the unseasonal rainfall across Rajasthan districts on November 4, 2025?
A Western Disturbance brought unseasonal light to moderate rainfall across multiple Rajasthan districts including Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Kota, Tonk, Bharatpur, Nagaur and Sikar on November 4, 2025.
Source: Patrika English News / IMD Rajasthan
Frequently asked questions
What is a Western Disturbance and how does it cause unseasonal rainfall in Rajasthan?
A Western Disturbance (WD) is an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea, or Black Sea region, which travels eastward across Iran and Afghanistan before reaching northwest India. It brings moisture from these water bodies into the Indian subcontinent. When a strong WD reaches Rajasthan, it can cause unseasonal rainfall even in winter or post-monsoon periods, as it disrupts the prevailing dry conditions. The November 4, 2025 event brought light to moderate rainfall across multiple Rajasthan districts.
What is Bhamashah Mandi in Kota and why is it significant for Rajasthan's agricultural economy?
Bhamashah Mandi (officially Krishi Upaj Mandi) in Kota is one of Rajasthan's major agricultural produce markets (mandis). Kota district is a significant agriculture zone in southeastern Rajasthan, known for paddy (rice), soybean, and other crops. The mandi acts as a key price discovery and trading platform for farmers and traders. The November 2025 unseasonal rain event, which soaked approximately 1.5 lakh sacks of paddy, highlighted the vulnerability of open mandi infrastructure to weather-related losses.
What is the Rabi cropping season and how does unseasonal rain during this period affect farmers in Rajasthan?
The Rabi season refers to the winter cropping season in India, when crops are sown after the monsoon (typically October–November) and harvested in spring (March–April). Major Rabi crops in Rajasthan include wheat, mustard (rapeseed), gram (chickpea), and barley. Unseasonal rain during the Rabi sowing season can damage seedbeds, rot already-sown seeds, and — as seen in November 2025 at Kota Mandi — damage harvested Kharif produce (like paddy) stored in the open, causing significant financial loss to farmers.
What infrastructure gap was exposed by the unseasonal rain damage at Kota Mandi?
The November 2025 unseasonal rain that soaked 1.5 lakh sacks of paddy at Kota's Bhamashah Mandi exposed a critical infrastructure gap: the lack of covered (roofed) storage facilities at agricultural mandis. With high produce arrivals, large quantities of paddy were left in the open, making them vulnerable to sudden weather events. This has long been a systemic issue at Indian mandis, where godown (warehouse) capacity often falls short of actual produce inflow during peak harvest seasons.
What role does the IMD play during unseasonal weather events and what alert did it issue after the November 4 rainfall?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) monitors weather patterns and issues alerts to help farmers, district administrations, and disaster management authorities prepare for adverse weather. After the November 4, 2025 unseasonal rainfall across Rajasthan, the IMD issued fog and mist alerts for the affected districts from November 5 onwards as the weather cleared. IMD's District Agro-Meteorological Units (DAMUs) also provide localised crop advisories to farmers, though the infrastructure gap remains a separate policy challenge.
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