Ahilyanagar Dairy Farmers Face Fodder Crisis as Maharashtra Leases 1,200 Acres to Politically Linked Firm
Dairy farmers across Ahilyanagar district are grappling with a deepening crisis caused by drought conditions, rising fodder prices and an acute water shortage that is threatening the viability of small and medium-scale cattle rearing, with many farmers forced to sell livestock prematurely. The crisis unfolds amid political controversy: the Maharashtra government has leased 1,200 acres of land in Ahilyanagar to Vishwaraj Renewables, a firm owned by the son-in-law of NCP MP Supriya Sule, drawing sharp opposition criticism about cronyism. On an industrial note, Sharvaya Metals formally commissioned a new 10-inch aluminium extrusion facility targeting the aerospace, defence and electric vehicle sectors.
🤝 Drought Forces Ahilyanagar Dairy Farmers to Buy Fodder at Premium or Sell Cattle
Dairy farmers across Ahilyanagar district, particularly in and around the Shirdi area, are confronting a deepening crisis caused by drought conditions, rising fodder prices and an acute shortage of water that is threatening the viability of small and medium-scale cattle rearing operations. The region, once covered by lush agricultural fields, now presents dried and barren landscape that leaves farmers with little locally harvested fodder to draw upon. Those who wish to continue maintaining their herds are being forced to purchase fodder at inflated prices from distant suppliers, with the available supply often insufficient even at high cost, according to ETV Bharat's October 6 report from the district. Many dairy farmers have already begun selling their livestock prematurely rather than bear the ongoing expense of purchasing feed with no certainty of recovery in local crop conditions before the season turns. Farmers have petitioned the district administration to establish emergency fodder camps on an urgent basis, arguing that without government intervention a significant proportion of the region's dairy cattle population will be liquidated within weeks, with lasting consequences for local milk supply and the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on animal husbandry. The situation in Ahilyanagar mirrors drought-related fodder crises that have periodically affected Maharashtra's agriculturally important Marathwada region, where water scarcity and crop failure combine to undermine pastoralism alongside field cultivation. Animal husbandry officials were called to respond but no formal fodder camp infrastructure had been established in the district at the time of the report. [3]
Maharashtra Leases 1,200 Acres in Ahilyanagar to Firm Tied to Supriya Sule's Son-in-Law
The Maharashtra state government has come under political fire after leasing 1,200 acres of land in Ahilyanagar district to Vishwaraj Renewables, a company owned by Sarang Lakhani, the son-in-law of NCP MP Supriya Sule and son of BJP MLC Arun Lakhani, whose family is described by The New Indian Express as having close ties to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior BJP figure Nitin Gadkari. The lease, reported on October 9, 2026, has drawn accusations of cronyism and conflict of interest given the intersection of family political connections that span rival party lines, raising questions about how the land was selected and whether due process was followed in allocating it. Critics argue that the leasing of 1,200 acres of public land in Ahilyanagar to a company with family ties to multiple senior politicians raises serious questions about the transparency of the government's land allocation process, particularly at a time when drought-affected farmers in the same district are struggling with land productivity. The land is reportedly intended for a renewable energy project by Vishwaraj Renewables, a sector that has seen significant interest from politically connected investors across Maharashtra as the state expands its solar and wind energy capacity. Ahilyanagar sits within Maharashtra's interior Marathwada region and has historically been a site of political contention between the Congress-NCP bloc and the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. The story emerged amid ongoing scrutiny of land deals in the state's drought-affected interior, where public land is at a premium and local communities are sensitive to allocations perceived to favour wealthy outsiders. [1]
🏢 Sharvaya Metals Opens New Aluminium Extrusion Facility in Ahilyanagar Targeting Defence and EVs
Sharvaya Metals Ltd formally inaugurated a new 10-inch aluminium extrusion facility at its manufacturing plant in Ahilyanagar on October 5, 2026, in a development the company describes as a strategic step toward integrating its production value chain from raw alloy to finished component. The facility features advanced equipment including modern billet heating systems, online quenching capabilities and integrated puller and stretcher apparatus, all designed to produce high-strength, precision aluminium components meeting the exacting tolerances required by high-value industrial customers. By commissioning the extrusion line alongside its existing alloy operations, Sharvaya Metals now controls the production process from raw material to finished product, a configuration that management says will unlock higher margins and new long-term customer relationships in demanding sectors. The primary target markets for the new facility's output are aerospace, defence, railways and electric vehicles, all sectors where aluminium extrusion of precise specifications commands premium pricing and long-term supply agreements. Management indicated at the inauguration that the company's immediate priorities are optimising the new facility's capacity utilisation and securing the industry certifications required to supply regulated sectors such as aerospace and defence, a process that typically takes several months to complete. The commissioning was reported by stock market platform Whalesbook, which noted that Sharvaya Metals' shares rose sharply on the news. The facility's establishment adds an industrial dimension to Ahilyanagar's economic identity, a district better known for its agricultural economy, sugar milling operations and religious tourism centred on the Shirdi Sai Baba temple complex. [5]
Sources: [3] ETV Bharat · [1] The New Indian Express · [5] Whalesbook