Shocked Over Crop Loss, Odisha Farmer Ends Life By Consuming Pesticide

Bhubaneswar: A farmer in Odisha’s Bolangir’s district died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment after consuming poison over reported crop loss.

The deceased peasant was identified as Ramesh Bhoi

As per reports, Ramesh consumed poison while spraying pesticide on his crop on Tuesday night. He was rushed to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital at Bolangir for treatment, where he breathed his last on Wednesday morning.

Sources said, Ramesh had undertaken paddy cultivation in 10 acres of land. Five acres of the cultivated land was completely damaged due to pest attack.

Jayabharat Bhoi, cousin of the deceased, said, “My brother had grown paddy in 10 acres of farmland. However, Chakada pest destroyed almost half of his crop. He had sprayed pesticides three times, but in vain. Depressed over the crop loss, he consumed poison last night.”

The family of the deceased alleged that neither the district administration nor the block officials took any steps to keep the pests away from crops.

“The officials from the agriculture department never turned up at our village and extended any help despite repeated requests by farmers. No Krishak Sathi ever advised us on farming or killing pests. We procured pesticides from local markets and used them. However, these pesticides did not work and we lost the crop,” said Bhoi’s brother.

He added that Ramesh was under serious trauma as he apprehended huge financial losses.

Expressing his anger, an exasperated local farmer said, "It has become a common tragic story of poor paddy farmers in our locality. They take loans, grow paddy, spray adulterated pesticide procured from local markets and lose their crop to pests. Left with no choice, the poor farmers consume poison and die.”

“The state government should look into the farmers' issues seriously. Or else, more farmers will take such unpleasant steps,” said the farmer.