Farmer Suicides on Rise in India: Causes and Consequences

Abstract

Suicide is caused by many factors and there is empirical evidence to believe that this phenomenon could be a contagion in India, where farmers are committing copycat suicides. Rising farmer suicides on erratic monsoon, outstanding loans, rising debt, low crop yield, poor procurement rate of crops and successive crop failure. According to the IB, the main reason of farmers ’suicides can be attributed to both natural and manmade factors. While natural factors like uneven rains, hailstorm, drought and floods adversely affect crop yield, the manmade factors, i.e. pricing policies and inadequate marketing facilities result in post-yield losses. Consequences of rural indebtedness are disastrous. Economically, rural indebtedness has resulted in the extreme poverty of the farmers (esp. marginal and small farmers) The all-India report titled ‘Spate of Cases of Suicide by Farmers ’emphasizes how government relief packages are of limited use as they do not address the plight of farmers who borrow from private moneylenders. Whether the environment is favourable or unfavourable, farmers always faces losses. Due to continuation of this condition and failure on state and central government in taking effective measures to protect and help to farmers to overcome on this barriers. Most of them became bankrupt and burden of heavy repayment of Debts and other family responsibilities forces them to commit suicides. It also suggests creation of alternative source of income for farmers by way of non-farming activities like dairy, poultry, fisheries etc.