27 Aug 2009

Rise in suicide rate of Indian farmers

1:03 pm on 27 August 2009

Poor rainfall in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has led to a dramatic rise in the number of farmers committing suicide.

The state government says 20 farmers took their own lives in little over a month. However, farmers groups say the figures are much higher.

The BBC reports farmers have lost 80% of their crops already: 70% of the population of Andhra Pradesh work in the rural ecomony and many are now desperate.