India, Oct. 18 -- With drought declared across all 10 talukas of Latur district, the administration has banned the use of crop residue as industrial fuel and prohibited the sale and transportation of fodder outside the district to prevent a shortage of cattle feed in the coming months.

The order prohibits bio-coal projects, biomass energy plants, brick kilns, sugar factories and other industrial units from purchasing, storing or using crop residue suitable for animal feed as fuel. Such material must be reserved exclusively for livestock, the administration said.

District collector Bharat Bastewad said deficient rainfall and crop damage during the 2026 kharif season were expected to severely affect fodder production. Residues from soybea...