India Records One Farmer or Farm Labourer Suicide Every Hour, NCRB Data

At least 10,546 people involved in farming died by suicide in India during 2024, according to the latest “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2024” report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). These deaths accounted for 6.2 percent of the country’s total 1,70,746 suicide cases recorded during the year.

The number of suicides among farmers and agricultural labourers declined marginally by 2.2 percent compared to 2023, when 10,786 such deaths were reported. However, the figures indicate that the agrarian distress remains severe across the country. On average, nearly 28 farmers and farm labourers died by suicide every day in 2024. Trends over the past five years suggest that almost one farmer or agricultural labourer dies by suicide every hour in India.

According to the report, the total number of suicides in the country stood at 1,70,746 in 2024, slightly lower than the 1,71,418 cases reported in 2023. India’s suicide rate also declined marginally from 12.3 to 12.2, though it remains higher than the 2019 level of 10.4.

Farm Labourers Account for More Suicides

NCRB data showed that among the 10,546 farm suicides in 2024, as many as 5,913 victims, or nearly 56 percent, were agricultural labourers.

The share of farm labourers in farm suicides has risen steadily over the years. In 2019, agricultural labourers accounted for 42 percent of such deaths. The growing share highlights the worsening economic vulnerability of those dependent on daily wages from farming activities.

Meanwhile, cultivators accounted for 4,633 suicides, or around 44 percent of the total farm suicide cases in 2024, slightly lower than the previous year. Rising cultivation costs, climate-related crop losses, mounting debt, and inadequate returns from produce continue to push farmers and farm workers into financial distress.

Experts note that the contribution of farm income to the earnings of agricultural households has been steadily declining, while dependence on wage labour has increased. Several economic and social factors are believed to be contributing to suicides in the agriculture sector.

Maharashtra Reports Highest Farm Suicides

Maharashtra recorded the highest number of farm suicides. The state reported 3,824 suicides among farmers and farm labourers, accounting for 36.26 percent of all agriculture-related suicide cases in the country.

Karnataka recorded the second-highest number with 2,971 cases, followed by Madhya Pradesh (835), Andhra Pradesh (780), Tamil Nadu (503), and Chhattisgarh (486).

Karnataka also witnessed the sharpest rise in farm-sector suicides among major states. The number of such deaths increased by 22.61 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. Rajasthan reported a 14 percent rise, while Madhya Pradesh saw a 7.46 percent increase.

Accidental Deaths Increase

The NCRB report also highlighted a sharp rise in accidental deaths across the country in 2024, reducing the ratio of suicides to accidental deaths. India recorded 4,67,857 accidental deaths during the year, 5.3 percent higher than the 4,44,104 cases reported in 2023.