9 farmers die by suicide in a month across MP:Crops ruined by rain, debts pile up; experts stress lack of guaranteed income

In Madhya Pradesh, nine farmers have died by suicide within a month, broken by crop loss, mounting debt and lack of fair prices. Families say their crops were destroyed by unseasonal rain and they received little help from the administration. Officials, however, deny that crop failure was the main reason. A Bhaskar ground report from Ujjain, Khandwa, Narmadapuram, Sheopur and Morena reveals how each death exposes the growing despair in rural Madhya Pradesh. ‘He was the hope of our family’ In Morghat village of Narmadapuram, 23-year-old Vikas Yadav was the most promising member of his family. He had taken a Rs 5 lakh Kisan Credit Card loan to dig a borewell and grow maize. But heavy, unseasonal rain destroyed the entire crop. Unable to bring anything home even during the festival, Vikas fell into despair and took his own life on 22 October. His uncle Anil Yadav breaks down while speaking — “Vikas was everything to us.” Vikas had a graduate degree but turned to farming after failing to get a job. He supported the entire family, including a disabled brother. Nine deaths in one month In just one month, nine farmers from five districts have died. Their families told Bhaskar the suicides were linked to crop failure, mounting loans and poor returns. Officials, however, have avoided confirming this connection. Ujjain: Low yield and rising debt Four farmers in Ujjain — Ram Singh Bhami, Dinesh Sharma, Shav Singh, and Kamal Singh Gurjar — died by suicide after poor soybean yields. Khandwa: Rain destroyed maize and soyabean crops In Khandwa, two farmers — Madan Kumrawat and Sadashiv Fattu — died after rain destroyed their crops. Narmadapuram: Hopes lost with maize crop In Narmadapuram, Vikas Yadav’s maize crop was ruined by rain. The 23-year-old had borrowed Rs 5 lakh for borewell drilling and cultivation. When the crop failed, he saw no way out and hanged himself. After his death, the Yadav community’s youth organisation submitted a memorandum to the district administration demanding compensation for the family. Morena: Paddy crop and dreams both drowned In Tikri village of Banmore tehsil, Morena, Mukesh Gurjar had only 1.5 bighas of his own land. He leased 10 bighas from relatives for Rs 2 lakh a year. When rain destroyed his paddy crop, he worried about repaying the amount. His wife Lakshmi said, “Before the rains, the crop looked good. He told me everything would be fine after harvest. He even planned our daughter’s marriage.” On 31 October, Mukesh went to his field and was later found hanging from a tree. Sheopur: Villagers protest after farmer’s death In Sirsaud village, Sheopur, Kailash Meena had 9 bighas of paddy almost ready for harvest. Heavy rain destroyed it. On 29 October, he went to the field and hanged himself. Villagers blocked the road with his body, demanding compensation. Collector Arpit Verma reached the spot and assured help. The administration provided Rs 2 lakh to the family through the Red Cross, after which the protest ended. What officials say Sheopur Collector Arpit Verma said that, apart from Rs 2 lakh in aid, one family member will be given a contractual job. He added that funds have been sought to assess crop loss across the district. Khandwa Collector Rishabh Gupta confirmed the suicides but said investigations are still on. “Family statements do not mention crop loss,” he said. About Rs 20 crore worth of crop damage claims have been registered in the district, of which Rs 12 crore has already been disbursed. In Ujjain, Mahidpur SDM Ajay Hegde said that the causes of suicide differ in each case. “The post-mortem of Shiv Singh of Sekli village showed death due to a heart attack,” he said. He added that the administration had requested Rs 50 crore for crop loss compensation, out of which Rs 40 crore had been distributed. Surprisingly, the agriculture department officials claimed no knowledge of farmer suicides in their areas. Why farmers are losing hope Experts say farmers are facing a combination of crises — not one single cause. 1. Weather shocks: This year, heavy and unseasonal rain before Diwali damaged 50% to 100% of maize, soybean, and paddy crops. Many farmers ploughed their fields again, knowing there was nothing left to harvest. 2. No fair market price: Farmers who managed to reach the market faced another shock. Traders bought crops below MSP. 3. Scarcity of seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides: Rahul Dhoot of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh said farmers face problems from sowing to selling. “They get poor-quality seeds and have to queue for fertilisers. After so much struggle, the weather and market both betray them,” he said. 4. Lack of timely help: Kedar Sirohi, State President of the Congress Kisan Prakosth, said the government fails to support farmers when they need it most. “Compensation and insurance are delayed. The system has lost farmers’ trust,” he said. Experts warn of a deeper crisis Agriculture expert Devendra Sharma called the situation alarming. “Soybean is becoming the new ‘suicidal crop’ — like cotton once was. Without assured income, farming is turning into a gamble,” he said. He added that schemes like Bhavantar have failed and Minimum Support Price must be made a legal right. Sharma also pointed out that consumers rarely stand with farmers. “In France, when dairy farmers began committing suicide, consumers paid a little extra for milk to help them. Why can’t we do the same?” he asked.