After Drought, Crop-Destroying Rains Are Now Leading To Farmer Suicides In Maharashtra

A farmer shows his damaged paddy crop at a village in Karad, Maharashtra

- Radheshyam Jadhav

Just months after a series of farmer suicides triggered by a drought rocked Maharashtra, the State is now staring at a similar spectre. This time, though, the suicides are being triggered by unseasonal rain that has damaged crops extensively.

Six farmer suicides have been reported in Marathwada and the north Maharashtra region following massive crop destruction due to unseasonal rains.

According to the State government’s preliminary estimates, crops on over 54 lakh hectares have been damaged. The drought-hit Aurangabad division has suffered crop damage on 22 lakh hectares. The final figure might be far more than the estimates.