Parliament Question: Reasons for farmers' suicide

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 836 ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2026 REASONS FOR FARMERS' SUICIDE 836 Smt. Priyanka Chaturvedi: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) total number of farmer suicides recorded in the past year, with State-wise breakdown identifying the highest-affected regions; (b)the primary causes documented - crop failure, debt burden, input cost escalation, price crash, climate disasters or policy failures; (c)whether suicides are concentrated among small/marginal farmers, tenant farmers or specific crops, indicating targeted distress; (d)the compensation and rehabilitation provided to families and the percentage receiving timely support; and (e)whether there is a correlation established between farmer suicides and implementation gaps in PM-KISAN, PM-FBY, MSP coverage and loan waivers? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a) to (e): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs compiles and disseminates information on suicides in its publication titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ (ADSI). The report till 2023 is available on NCRB website (https://ncrb.gov.in). The ADSI Report does not specify separate reasons for farmers suicide. Reasons for suicides are wide ranging. Ex gratia or relief is provided by State Governments as per their respective provisions and rules. Government of India is very sensitive about farmers issues and concerned about distress of farmers. Government of India supplements the efforts of States and welfare of farmers through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support and various schemes/ programmes. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DA&FW) from Rs. 21,933.50 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,27,290.16 crore BE during 2025-26. Some of the major schemes/ programmes like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Institutional credit (KCC), Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), etc. are meant for making farming more remunerative and to make the farmers financially more secure.Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for mandated crops based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) after considering the views of concerned State Governments and Central Ministries/ Departments. The Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced to keep MSPs at levels of one and half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, Government had consistently increased MSPs for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops with a minimum margin of 50 percent over all India weighted average cost of production from the year 2018-19 onwards. Integrated Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM- AASHA) strengthens implementation of MSP and acts as a tool for market price stabilisation. PM-AASHA has components of Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). PSS is implemented on the request of the State Govt./ UT that agrees to exempt from levy of Mandi tax on the procurement of notified pulses, oilseeds and copra and make arrangements like booking of scientific storage facility, identification of procurement centres, within the stipulated period as and when the market prices of agricultural commodities fall below notified MSP during peak harvesting period. The overall quantity of procurement by Central Government will be limited to 25% of All India Production of the particular pulses, oilseeds and copra for the particular season. Initially the sanction for procurement under PSS is allowed at 25% of the state estimated production. However, additional quantity under the window of 25% of All India Production of the commodity will be allowed only after the procurement of 25% of state production of the particular commodity by CNAs is exhausted in a given state. The additional quantity based on National Production will be examined and allowed with the approval of Committee of Secretaries (CoS). To encourage domestic production & ensure remunerative prices to farmers, procurement of Tur, Urad and Masur from the pre-registered farmers is undertaken as much as offered by them through the Central Nodal Agencies under Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses till 2030-31. PDPS envisages the direct payment of the price difference between the MSP and the selling / modal price in notified market upto 15% of MSP value (including 2% administrative cost) by the Central Government to the pre-registered farmers selling the oilseeds upto 40% of its production with prescribed Fair Average Quality (FAQ) in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process within the stipulated period. However, the States/UTs have the option to implement either PSS or PDPS for the notified oilseeds for the particular year/season. If any State is willing to cover quantities beyond 40%, it can do so from its resources. MIS further enhances the diversity by supporting the perishable and horticulture crops that are not covered under above price stabilisation measures. MIS offers both physical as well as price difference payment along with a provision for storage and transportation of TOP (Tomato, Onion and Potato) crops. This integrated approach leads to the prevention of distress sale by farmers, ensuring remunerative prices for their produce. It also facilitates the creation of buffer stock to address market volatility. Overall, these measures strengthen farmer confidence in market operations due to the assurance of price support. *****