<p>Inability to repay farm loans and crop failure accounted for more than one-third of farmers' suicides in the country last year, according to a latest government report.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While bankruptcy or indebtedness was the reason for 20.6 per cent suicides among farmers, 16.8 per cent ended their lives due to crop failure.<br /><br />The “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India-2014” report showed 5,650 farmers, including 472 women, committed suicide last year, out of which 1,163 cases pertained to repayment of loan and 952 to crop failure.<br /><br />Adding to crop failure were natural calamities that destroyed crops, and the farmers' inability to sell their produce, leading to a number of suicides.<br /><br />“There may be public posturing by the government that they would not allow farmers to suffer, but nothing is happening on the ground. The cost of production is increasing, but the government is not supporting farmers by providing adequate minimum support price. Also, majority of farm loans are going to the privileged,” Vijoo Krishnan, national joint secretary of the All-India Kisan Sabha, told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />While 965 committed suicide owing to trouble in repaying loans, another 22 committed suicide due to loans they took to buy farm equipment, like tractor and pump set.<br />Another 176 could not withstand the pressure of repaying non-agricultural loans, which might have been taken for meeting farming expenses. <br /><br />Maharashtra topped the list in both these categories. According to the report, 857 farmers in Maharashtra committed suicide due to failure in repaying loans. <br /><br />Telangana had 172 such cases, and Karnataka a distant third at 51.<br /><br />Once again emphasising the distress in Maharashtra's agriculture sector, the report highlighted that the state had the highest number of farming-related suicides (352), including 350 suicides related to crop failure. <br /><br />Telangana had 295, Madhya Pradesh 119 and Karnataka 106 such incidents.<br />Another worrying sign was the suicide of 59 farmers who were below the age of 18. Of them, 26 committed suicide due to crop failure. <br /></p>
<p>Inability to repay farm loans and crop failure accounted for more than one-third of farmers' suicides in the country last year, according to a latest government report.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While bankruptcy or indebtedness was the reason for 20.6 per cent suicides among farmers, 16.8 per cent ended their lives due to crop failure.<br /><br />The “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India-2014” report showed 5,650 farmers, including 472 women, committed suicide last year, out of which 1,163 cases pertained to repayment of loan and 952 to crop failure.<br /><br />Adding to crop failure were natural calamities that destroyed crops, and the farmers' inability to sell their produce, leading to a number of suicides.<br /><br />“There may be public posturing by the government that they would not allow farmers to suffer, but nothing is happening on the ground. The cost of production is increasing, but the government is not supporting farmers by providing adequate minimum support price. Also, majority of farm loans are going to the privileged,” Vijoo Krishnan, national joint secretary of the All-India Kisan Sabha, told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />While 965 committed suicide owing to trouble in repaying loans, another 22 committed suicide due to loans they took to buy farm equipment, like tractor and pump set.<br />Another 176 could not withstand the pressure of repaying non-agricultural loans, which might have been taken for meeting farming expenses. <br /><br />Maharashtra topped the list in both these categories. According to the report, 857 farmers in Maharashtra committed suicide due to failure in repaying loans. <br /><br />Telangana had 172 such cases, and Karnataka a distant third at 51.<br /><br />Once again emphasising the distress in Maharashtra's agriculture sector, the report highlighted that the state had the highest number of farming-related suicides (352), including 350 suicides related to crop failure. <br /><br />Telangana had 295, Madhya Pradesh 119 and Karnataka 106 such incidents.<br />Another worrying sign was the suicide of 59 farmers who were below the age of 18. Of them, 26 committed suicide due to crop failure. <br /></p>
