Maharashtra farmers grapple with economic hardship ahead of Lok Sabha polls

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Farmers constitute one of the most significant vote banks for all political parties in India. Despite this, a substantial portion of the farming community continues to grapple with financial hardships. In a special report as part of the Election Exchange series, CNBC-TV18 delves into the sentiments of farmers in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Ashwin Bhosale, a 45-year-old farmer from Sarole Khurd village in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, exemplifies the struggles faced by many. With a vineyard spanning 15 acres that he has tended to for two decades, Bhosale finds himself in a precarious position this year. Despite a promising crop, the imposition of high export duties on grapes threatens to erase any hope of profitability for him.

“People talk about caste and religion. But the important things are our livelihoods and education of our children. All this is affected now. We depend on the government’s policies, but the government is not keeping all this in mind. So we will focus on our issues while casting our vote,” Bhosale told CNBC-TV18.

The plight of farmers striving for livelihood has tragically led to a disturbingly high number of suicides, particularly in the Marathwada region. State government data reveals that 2,851 farmers took their own lives in Maharashtra between January 2023 and October 2023—a figure alarmingly close to the farmer suicide statistics reported by the National Crime Record Bureau in previous years.

Despite claims from each of the six political parties that have governed the state over the past five years regarding their efforts to improve the condition of farmers, sentiments on the ground remain sceptical.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asserts, “We provide more than required compensation to the farmers. For insurance, farmers have to pay only one rupee, rest everything our government takes care of.”

Clyde Crasto, National Spokesperson of NCP-Sharad Pawar, acknowledges the challenges faced by farmers but maintains that the MVA government, in comparison to the current administration, has fared better in addressing their concerns.

However, many farmers interviewed by CNBC-TV18 expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo. Grievances range from unpaid compensation for damaged crops to the inefficacy of crop insurance schemes and export restrictions that dent their incomes.

Political analysts echo the concerns of farmers, highlighting the likelihood that the hardships endured by the agricultural community could significantly shape voting patterns in the upcoming elections.

The forthcoming Lok Sabha election will serve as a litmus test to gauge how farmers across Maharashtra evaluate the government’s performance in fulfilling its promise of doubling their incomes, and whether local issues will overshadow their immediate financial worries and the persistent challenges plaguing the agricultural sector.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow