Suicides among those engaged in farm sector fall to two-year low in 2024

Experts often link farm suicides to indebtedness, while the government cites factors such as family problems, illness, drug abuse and marriage-related issues

Suicides by those engaged in the agriculture sector of the country dropped to a two-year low of 10,546 in 2024, according to data from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2024 report. The report was made public a few days back.

 

Within this, suicides by those who identified farming as their occupation numbered 4,633 in 2024, down 1.2 per cent from the previous year, while those engaged as agricultural labourers numbered 5,913, down almost 3 per cent from 2023.

 

Farmer suicides have been a controversial issue in India, with many experts blaming indebtedness as one of the reasons for this, but the government lists many reasons for suicides, including family problems, illness, drug abuse, and marriage-related issues, among others.