Over 30 farmers commit suicide in Marathwada in 8 days, death toll since last 8 months now at 580

In the last eight days, 34 farmers committed suicide in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, a government report said on Wednesday. The region has seen below-average rainfall this monsoon so far. [caption id=“attachment_2794996” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] This report takes the total number of farmer suicides to 580 in the last eight months, according to The Times of India. At the end of July, the toll stood at 531 and has gone up to 580 in just 15 days. The state has 355 talukas out of which nearly 200 received less than 75 percent of the total projected rainfall for this monsoon. Data compiled by the Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner showed that 34 farmers ended their lives in eight districts of Marathwada during the last eight days, though the cause has not be ascertained in every case yet. Beed district tops the list at 107 suicides, the report said. It also mentioned that kharif crops in the region are in trouble because of lack of rains. Farmers in Marathwada are fearing crop losses due to a dry spell of the last fortnight. Met officials had predicted good showers after 15 August, but the rainfall in the last two days is scattered, said Yogesh Pande, spokesperson of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna, a farmer-centric political outfit. The Times of India also reported that agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar has said that the directions had been issued to all collector offices to conduct field survey after receiving complaints from farmers. With inputs from PTI