Punjab saw over 1,000 farmer suicides in five years: Union Agriculture Minister

In a written reply in the parliament, the Union Agriculture Minister, Narendra Tomar, stated that the state of Punjab reported 1,056 farmers in five years between 2017 and 2022. The neighbouring state of Haryana recorded 23 farmer suicides at the same time. Uttar Pradesh, which, like Punjab is an agricultural-dominant state, recorded 398 farmer suicides in the five years.

Experts opine that the high number of farmer suicides in the North Indian state is due to the high debt burden farmers face in Punjab. Higher input costs and lower revenue have led farmers, especially those in Punjab, into a debt trap, experts add.

In Punjab, 243 cases of farmer suicides were recorded in 2017; 229 in 2018; 239 in 2019; 174 in 2020; and 171 in 2021, detailed Tomar in his written response after being asked about the same by AAP MP ND Gupta from New Delhi.