First the skies dried up, and then it rained heavily, too heavily for Ramesh Khamankar's cotton crop. In January, the cotton farmer from Maharashtra's Vidarbha region poisoned himself to death.
The crisis that has engulfed this region this year was not just of bad weather, but also one which had its origins miles away from the ruined cotton fields of Vidarbha. Falling demand from China pushed down the global price of cotton - indexed at the New York exchange - by 20 per cent, from 90 cents per pound of cotton link to 70 cents per pound. This meant that Indian farmers who sold cotton last year at around Rs 5,000 a quintal were forced to sell it at Rs 4,000- 4,100 per quintal.
The Khamankars expected the new BJP government in the state and Centre to keep its promise of a generous support price, of 50 per cent more than the cost of production.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself echoed the promise of the Swaminathan formula in his election speeches during the 2014 campaign.
But the government announced a rate of Rs 4,050, which hewed close to the existing lowered market rates.
"BJP said that they would give more value to cotton, and waive loans, so we voted for them," an angry group of farmers said to us in Yavatmal market. "Where are the acche din for us?"
But Ramesh Khamankar's son and wife, who met us in their tiny home in Yavtamal, say these costs have only increased.
Mr Swaminathan said he was dismayed that his suggestion had not been accepted. "We are going through the most tragic part of our agricultural history in this country today," he said. "We should do something to improve the economics. After all, for bureaucrats and others, we set up pay commissions every few years and it increases salaries enormously. But what about the farmers who are giving us life?" he asked.
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