In three days, 5 farmers in Vidarbha die by suicide

Five farmers, including a woman, have died by suicide in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, India, due to agro-crisis and financial issues. Activist Kishore Tiwari claims that a total of 1,565 farmer suicides have occurred in the Vidarbha region so far this year, with the main cash crop of cotton facing low demand and the cost of agro inputs increasing. The farmers have also struggled to obtain loans for re-sowing crops after heavy rains destroyed initial sowing.

NAGPUR: Within three days, five farmers in Vidarbha ended their lives after facing continuous agro-crisis and financial issues. An official said the five farmers, including a woman, died by suicide between August 13 and 15 in the Yavatmal district of eastern Maharashtra.

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As many as 1,565 farmer suicides have taken place in Vidarbha so far this year, claimed activist Kishore Tiwari, a former chairman of the state government’s Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavlambi Mission for farmers’ welfare.

Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti which has been documenting farmers’ suicide in the region since 2,000, claimed that all the victims were from Yavatmal, one of the worst affected districts in the state where five debt-ridden farmers ended their lives.

Tiwari said the farmers of the region were distressed because of recent incessant rains that washed away their sowing and several farmers could not generate funds for re-sowing.

The main cash crop of cotton which is facing a very low demand has brought the economy to a standstill. The input cost increased suddenly, and the very low credit provided by the nationalised banks has added fuel to the crisis, he said. “The agro inputs costs have increased phenomenally while the selling price of raw cotton came down to ₹7,000 from ₹14,000 per quintal. Most of the farmers ended their lives because of huge debts and crop failure,” Tiwari claimed.

According to Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti, as many as 1,565 farmers killed themselves in the region since January this year. Tiwari also endorsed the figures and said that the figure may touch more than 2,000 this year. He continued, “The state administration even did not carry out the necessary survey for the damaged crops and hence the farmers could not get compensation so far. The issue was brought to the notice of Maharashtra agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde who visited Pusad in Yavatmal district on Friday and interacted with a few farmers on the issue.”

Farmers also reportedly lodged a complaint with Munde that they are not getting loans from the financial institution for re-sowing the crops as incessant rains washed away their initial sowing in several areas in the district. The farmers’ even gheraoed Munde at Yavatmal on these issues and the minister subsequently assured them the government would hold a meeting on the issue soon and resolve it on priority.

The district collector of Yavatmal Pankaj Ashiye admitted that there was a report of five farmers’ suicide in the district this week. “We have instructed all concerned sub-divisional officers (SDOs) to visit the houses of affected farmers and submit a report within a week. “We are also investigating the exact reasons behind such suicides,” he further said.