Punjab Desk
18 March
Sandeep Dhand
Journalist And Research Analysist
The problem of rising debt among farmers in Punjab is becoming more serious. Recent data shows that farmers across the state are under heavy financial pressure due to increasing loans and farming costs.
According to estimates, the total debt on farmers has reached thousands of crores. Farmers owning larger land areas tend to have higher debt, while even small farmers are struggling to manage their expenses.
On average, farmers with up to 5 acres of land have loans of around ₹4–5 lakh. Those with 5 to 10 acres owe about ₹7 lakh, while farmers with more than 20 acres have debts crossing ₹13 lakh. This shows that debt increases with land size, but financial stress is present in every category.
Reports also indicate that a large number of farming families are affected. Many households are unable to repay loans due to low income, rising input costs, and unstable crop prices.
Experts suggest that better financial support, fair crop prices, and improved policies are needed to reduce the burden. Without strong steps, the debt issue may continue to affect the farming community in the coming years.
