High rate of farmer suicides in Malwa: Experts blame steep lease land rentals, lack of alternative income | Explained News, The Indian Express

High rate of farmer suicides in Malwa: Experts blame steep lease land rentals, lack of alternative income | Explained News, The Indian Express



Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba |Edited by Explained Desk |Updated: September 30, 2019 11:08:19 am

High rate of farmer suicides in Malwa: Experts blame steep lease land rentals, lack of alternative income

Of the farmers who committed suicide, 43.84 per cent were marginal farmers (having upto 1 hectare land), 30.12 per cent were small farmers (having upto 2 hectares), 18 per cent were semi-medium farmers (having land upto 2.5 hecatres), 7% were medium (having land upto 4 hectares) and 1% were large farmers, said the report.

Farmer groups say 73-95 per cent of the farmers’ earnings are used up just paying land rent.

OVER THE past few years, ‘farm debt’ has been one of the main reasons behind farmers and farm labourers committing suicide in Punjab. Farmer groups, state universities’ and government data have indicated that 97% of farmer suicides are taking place in the Malwa region only. Anju Agnihotri Chaba explains why this seems to be the case and how exorbitant lease land rentals is one of the factors behind the high rate of farmer suicide in Malwa: