$\text{Datkhile}$‘s losses, which represent a significant blow to local dairy economics, included 40 cows and 20 goats, a herd that was painstakingly built up over years. His family had previously generated substantial income, reporting milk sales worth $\text{₹3.5}$ $\text{lakh}$ $\text{per}$ $\text{month}$, maintaining a healthy profit margin of nearly $\text{40\%}$. The total financial damage, including the loss of high-value cattle—each estimated to be worth around $\text{₹1.25}$ $\text{lakh}$—plus the destroyed shed, is tallied at a crippling $\text{₹60}$ $\text{lakh}$, effectively wiping out his livelihood. A key concern for the international dairy community and local agribusiness stakeholders is the inadequacy of government relief mechanisms. According to $\text{Datkhile}$‘s son, $\text{Pravin}$, the compensation provided under $\text{National}$ $\text{Disaster}$ $\text{Response}$ $\text{Force}$ ($\text{NDRF}$) norms is severely restricted: compensation is allowed for a maximum of only three animals, at a rate of just $\text{₹37,500}$ $\text{per}$ $\text{cattle}$. This policy gap means that commercial-scale dairy enterprises, which typically maintain large herds to ensure profitability, are left facing near-total financial ruin, as current aid falls dramatically short of covering their losses.

The humanitarian fallout from these financial setbacks is severe. The helpline established by the farmers’ $\text{NGO}$, $\text{Shivaar}$, received $\text{274}$ $\text{distress}$ $\text{calls}$ on its inaugural day, particularly from the rain-battered $\text{Marathwada}$ region. Shockingly, the $\text{NGO}$‘s founder, $\text{Vinayak}$ $\text{Hegana}$, claimed that $\text{83}$ $\text{of}$ $\text{these}$ $\text{farmers}$ were contemplating suicide due to overwhelming debt and the inadequacy of government aid. This reflects a deep-seated crisis of confidence in the systems meant to support rural producers during catastrophic events.

Furthermore, the crisis is compounded by a systemic lack of livestock protection. Farmers reported to the helpline that cattle were not being insured due to the ongoing threat posed by lumpy $\text{skin}$ $\text{disease}$. This lack of insurance combined with inadequate government compensation, as highlighted by another farmer in $\text{Nanded}$ who lost $\text{40}$ $\text{buffaloes}$ and $\text{15}$ $\text{cows}$—a loss also deemed unrecoverable by current aid—exposes a critical need for robust agribusiness $\text{risk}$ $\text{management}$ and more flexible disaster response policies in the sector.