BENGALURU: Supreme Court High-Power Committee on Agrarian Reforms member and agriculture scientist Devindar Sharma disclosed that a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed Indian farmers reported a loss of `110 lakh crore between 2000 and 2025.
He said the OECD brings out an annual producer subsidy support research-based study. “Farming in India is the only one in the world that is incurring losses,” he said. Sharma said farmers’ suicide is a global trend and held economic design as the reason for distress. The SC panel is taking suggestions from the farming committee across India and the recommendations will be given to Karnataka.
“One thing we need to understand is why American farmers, European farmers and Australian farmers committing suicide. The economic design that agriculture operates under globally is something we need to take a relook at. In America, the suicide rate in rural areas is 3.5%, sometimes more than the national average, even after a lot of money is pumped in terms of subsidies. Similarly, despite a large tract of farm land, European and Australian farmers are committing suicides,” he said.
Speaking from the Indian context of committees formed to look into the agricultural crisis and farmers’ suicides, he said there are over 75 such committees working on farmers’ distress. “What matters is the conclusion or the measures to stop farmers’ suicide. There is a need for uniform policy at the national level so that the issue is addressed,” he said. He expressed displeasure and said compared to the last Budget, the allocation for agriculture has been reduced from 3.15% to 3.04%.