Marathwada's farmers in despair: 1,000 suicides in 11 months

Highest suicides in Beed, Three farmers commit suicide everyday

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : Marathwada's agricultural community continues to face immense hardship, with an alarming statistic emerging: three farmers in the region commit suicide every single day. In the past 11 months alone, over 1,000 farmers have taken their own lives, highlighting the dire situation they are grappling with.

Unseasonal rains, erratic weather patterns, and low rainfall during monsoon have wreaked havoc on crops, resulting in significant losses. This compounded the existing debt burden, primarily due to loans taken from private moneylenders at exorbitant interest rates. The lack of timely assistance from insurance companies has further exacerbated their financial woes, leaving many farmers feeling hopeless and trapped in a vicious cycle of debt.

Central team visiting the city

A central team will visit Marathwada on December 13 and 14 for inspection. The report generated by this team is expected to play a crucial role in determining the fate of crop insurance for affected farmers. However, frustration persists due to the delay in payment of the advance insurance amount even after repeated orders from the collector, divisional commissioner, and the state government. Farmers have appealed to the central government to intervene and ensure that insurance companies fulfill their obligations.

The district-wise breakdown of farmer suicides:

District Suicides

Beed 253

Nanded 163

Dharshiv 161

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar 160

Parbhani 93

Latur 68

Jalna: 62

Hingoli 40

Total 1,000