Chandigarh, Feb 4: New federal data has placed the financial status of Punjab and Haryana farmers in focus, revealing that their monthly earnings now align with lower-tier government pay scales. Despite leading most of the country in income, agricultural families in these states are carrying a debt burden that is more than double the national average.
The Situational Assessment Survey, shared in Parliament by Union Minister Ramnath Thakur, indicates that Punjab’s average farm income of Rs 26,701 is among the highest in India, trailing only Meghalaya at Rs 29,348. Haryana follows with Rs 22,841, while neighboring Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan reported Rs 18,918 and Rs 12,520, respectively.
The report also detailed the heavy reliance on credit in the region. Punjab families owe an average of Rs 2.03 lakh, while the national average remains much lower at Rs 74,121. While states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala hold the highest debt levels nationally, the northern belt continues to show a high percentage of indebted households.
Thakur directly said the contribution of various income sources “varies across states depending on agro-climatic conditions, farm size and cropping patterns.”
The Minister also mentioned that of the 9.3 crore agricultural households in India, approximately 50.2 per cent are currently under debt. Beyond farming costs, the survey revealed that significant portions of these loans are utilized for housing, consumption needs, and social ceremonies. Jharkhand was identified as having the lowest monthly farm income in the country at just Rs 4,895.
