Subhechcha Ganguly 
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, on Wednesday revealed that 869 farmers died by suicide across the state between January and April 2025. Citing divisional-level government data, Danve squarely blamed the state government’s failure to ensure fair crop prices, delayed compensation for natural calamities, and the growing influence of private moneylenders for the deepening agrarian crisis.
In a press briefing, Danve shared region-wise data: 269 farmer suicides in Marathwada (till March), 327 in Amravati, 135 in Nagpur, 106 in Nashik, and 32 in Pune. He stated that with Marathwada’s April figures pending, the final toll for the four-month period would surpass 869.
“For decades, Maharashtra’s farmers—especially in drought-prone Vidarbha and Marathwada—have been grappling with crop losses, mounting debts, low minimum support prices, and inadequate access to institutional credit,” said Danve. “Now, with inadequate compensation for crop damage due to natural disasters and extremely low produce prices, they’re left with no choice but suicide.”
According to Danve, reports from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department confirm that many farmers continue to receive compensation long after suffering losses, worsening their debt burdens.
In comparison, official data reveals that 2,706 farmers died by suicide in 2024, with 1,267 deaths recorded between January and June. Amravati division led the numbers, followed by Marathwada.
Responding to these concerns, Minister of State for Agriculture Ashish Jaiswal said the state government had rolled out multiple relief measures. These include a directive allowing banks to provide agricultural loans without evaluating farmers’ CIBIL scores, a ₹5,000-crore annual capital investment commitment, and a first-come, first-served approach to farmer welfare schemes to eliminate waiting lists.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing preparations for the upcoming kharif season, emphasized the need to ensure farmers receive timely institutional loans to break their dependency on private moneylenders. “The data shows a direct link between regions with active private lenders and higher suicide rates. Our administration is committed to ensuring that banks meet their loan disbursal targets,” Fadnavis said.
Despite the state’s assurances, opposition leaders and farmer groups argue that deeper structural reforms and prompt on-ground implementation are crucial to ending Maharashtra’s longstanding agrarian crisis.
