Maharashtra has recorded 1,092 farmer suicides till the end of May this year according to official data. This is lower by only 72 cases compared to 2017 despite a loan waiver being declared in the state a year ago.
While there has been a marginal dip in the total cases, the arid and deprived Marathwada region has seen a rise in these five months. It has recorded 396 cases this year compared to 380 cases by May last year.
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So far this year though, the Vidarbha region, home to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis continues to report the highest number of farmer suicides. The region has recorded 504 till the end of May. Both the Vidarbha and Marathwada are cotton-growing region. Nearly 80% of the cotton growing area had been hit by the pink bollworm pest attack last year.
Farmer groups stress that the crucial issue of pricing of crops has yet to improve, without which farm incomes will not rise. Farmers groups in several states united under the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh were on strike June from June 1 to 10th with higher prices for produce as one of their main demands. Farmers linked to the Kisan Sabha have also been protesting on the same issue. They are also pressing for higher prices for milk, to improve the condition of dairy farmers.
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Meanwhile, farmers are grappling with sourcing loans with the start of kharif sowing season in the state. So far 37.4 lakh farmers have received payouts under the loan waiver scheme from the 77.3 lakh accounts under scrutiny. While the payouts under the loan waiver have proceeded at a slow pace, this has also impacted the disbursal of crop loans.
Indeed, the disbursal of crop loans has been 40% lower for 2017-18 compared to the previous year. This is because banks cannot disburse new loans until old loans are cleared and many farmers are waiting for the waiver money to come in. Additionally, the delayed payments under the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance scheme in the state, have added to the credit crunch.
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Activists also say government procurement of pulses under the support price continues to be low. They are not impressed with the state’s recent announcement that it will pay Rs 1000 subsidy per quintal to tur and gram farmers whose produce it could not buy. "The tur dal price in the market is Rs 3,500 per quintal and the support price is Rs 5,450. Even with a subsidy of Rs 1,000, the price will still be lower than the support price," says farm activist Vijay Jawandhia.