Failed crop sowed seeds of 37 farmer suicides in Gujarat

Our own Saurashtra is galloping the Vidarbha way by becoming home to large number of farmer deaths from suicide this year, all due to crop failure.

The region has been already witnessed 37 suicides by farmers till September this year alone, which is highest since 2000. While, of them 15 chose to end their lives due to crop failure, three succumbed to increasing debts; the non-availability of fodder for their live stocks claimed the remaining, reveals a confidential report prepared by the state government.

 The figures, however, also reveal that 19 farmers in the state have killed themselves for reasons other than their farms. A government official posted in Gandhinagar, on condition of anonymity told DNA, that primarily it has been revealed that many farmers ended their lives due to non-availability of low cost fodder for their live stocks.

The scene was even worse in 2011; data revealed by the National Crime Record Bureau (BCRB) claims that Gujarat ranked ninth in the country in case of the numbers of deaths relating to farming and agriculture.

“Gujarat is no different from other states. Farmers kill themselves due to the failure of state government. Exact numbers of the farmer deaths is even more,” said president of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Magan Patel talking to DNA. If the activists working for farmer issues are to be believed, it will not be an exaggeration to say that today’s Vidarbha can be tomorrow’s Gujarat, where farmers’ suicides will be a routine matter.

The numbers of farmer suicide in Gujarat saw a steep rise from 523 in 2010 to 578 in 2011. 

Talking to DNA on phone from Vidarbha, Vijay Javandiya, farmer rights activist and national convener of Shetkari Sangathan said that the situation in Maharashtra is worse, but Gujarat’s situation is not good either.  “Condition of farmers is bad even in Gujarat, but unlike Vidarbha there are employment opportunities in diamond polishing units, textile mills etc for the farmers in Gujarat. So, numbers of farmer deaths are comparatively less, but the situation is same in both the states, Javandiya said. According to BKS, only 40% of Agriculture land in Gujarat is irrigated, while the percentage is 92% in Punjab and 83% in Uttar Pradesh. “Gujarat still stands far behind compared to these states,” Patel said. 

Talking to DNA on phone from Vidarbha, Vijay Javandiya, farmer rights activist and national convener, Shetkari Sangathan, said that the situation in Maharashtra is worst but the situation in Gujarat is not good either.

He said, “Condition of farmers is bad even in Gujarat but unlike Vidarbha there are employment opportunities in diamond polishing units, textile mills etc for the farmers in Gujarat. So, numbers of farmer’s deaths are comparatively less, but the situation is same in both the states, he said. According to BKS, only 40% of Agriculture land in Gujarat is irrigated, while the percentage is 92% in Punjab and 83% in Uttar Pradesh. “Gujarat still stands far behind compared to these states,” Patel said.