In 2021, the agricultural industry was responsible for roughly 30 suicides per day on average. The state with the most suicides was Maharashtra (4,064), followed by Karnataka (2,169) and Madhya Pradesh (671). There were 270 and 226 deaths in the northern food-bowl states of Punjab and Haryana, respectively.
Source: Times of India
The fact that there are now more farm suicides after years of steady reduction is reason for alarm. Crop failure due to bad weather, illnesses, or insect infestations; heavy debt; and the decline in crop prices are the main causes driving farmers and farm labourers to adopt the drastic measure.
In Pune, Maharashtra, in September of last year, a 45-year-old farmer took his own life. In his suicide note, he blamed the Prime Minister for his demise and bemoaned the fact that he was not receiving the minimum support price for his crops and that debt collection agencies were harassing him.
It is clear that the Center’s lofty objective of doubling farmers’ income is only a pipe dream. Preventing them from turning to a crop distress sale right now should be the first objective. The annadata deserves a fair deal because they work so hard to produce food grains and contribute to the food security of the country. It is necessary to bridge the implementation gaps in the numerous policies and programmes aimed at increasing farmers’ income.
Source: India Today
The farming community requires more help as a result of the growing frequency of catastrophic weather occurrences brought on by climate change. To make sure that no farmer or farm labourer is pushed to the point of disaster and self-destruction, confidence-building measures should be put in place.
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