Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Tuesday said a total of 227 farmers have committed suicide in the last five years due to various reasons but not because of loan burden.

Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, allegations of 227 farmer suicides were received but not a single was over debt burden, said Maharathy in reply to a written question by MLA Sanatan Mahakud in the Odisha Assembly.

The government cited several reasons for the suicides including mental disturbance, illness, depression, consumption of heavy alcohol and family quarrel.

While the government received reports regarding the death of 11 farmers due to alleged suicide in 2013-14, the number was five in 2014-15 and 175 in 2015-16, said the Minister.

He said the Agriculture Department received reports of 16 alleged suicide of farmers in 2016-17 and 20 in 2017-18. - IANS