This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 367, addressed to the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, concerning farmer suicides in India. The question specifically asks about: (a) the number of farmer suicides in 2024-25 and 2025-26, state-wise; (b) the reported 767 farmer suicides in Maharashtra during the first three months of 2025, including details and reasons; and (c) the implementation of the C2+50 formula for Minimum Support Price (MSP) as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission to address farmer suicides.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur, provides the following responses:
(a & b) Data on farmer suicides is compiled and disseminated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs in its annual publication "Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI)." The ADSI report is available on the NCRB website (https://ncrb.gov.in), with data currently available up to 2022. No specific data for 2024-25 or 2025-26 is provided in this response.
(c & d) The government determines MSP for mandated crops based on recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), considering input from State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments. The Union Budget for 2018-19 announced that MSPs would be set at a level of 1.5 times the cost of production. The government states that it has consistently increased MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi, and other commercial crops with a minimum margin of 50% over the all-India weighted average cost of production, starting in 2018-19. The response does not explicitly confirm or deny the implementation of the "C2+50" formula but suggests current MSP practices align with its principles.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: A department of the Government of India responsible for agriculture and farmers' welfare.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Maharashtra: A state in India where farmer suicides were reported.
Swaminathan Commission: A commission that made recommendations regarding the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops.
SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR: The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB): An Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data.
Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI): A publication by the NCRB containing information on suicides.
Commission for Agricultural Costs Prices (CACP): An organization that provides recommendations to the government regarding Minimum Support Prices (MSP).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 367
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22ND JULY, 2025
REDRESSAL OF ISSUE OF FARMERS’SUICIDES
367. SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष और (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the number of farmers committed suicide during 2024-25 and 2025-26 till date in the
country, year-wise and State-wise;
(b) whether 767 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra during first three months of
2025, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government would implemented C2 plus 50% formula for MSP of various
crops as per recommendation of Swaminathan Commission to redress the issue of large
number of suicide by farmers in the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): 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 2022 is available on NCRB website
(https://ncrb.gov.in).
(c) & (d): Government fixes Minimum Support Price (MSP) 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 level of one
and half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, Government had consistently
increased MSP 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.
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