Bhubaneswar, Feb 20 (IANS) More than 50 farmers have committed suicide in different parts of Orissa due to crop losses, the Congress claimed Saturday, asking the state government to come out with a white paper on the issue.

'The state government has been neglecting the farm sector as a result of which at least 54 farmers have committed suicide,' Shibananda Ray, vice president of the state unit of the Congress told reporters here.

The centre has taken several steps to ensure food security and development of the agriculture sector, he said.

Holding the state government responsible for the farmers' suicide, Ray said: 'We want a white paper from the state government enumerating the various steps it has taken for the benefit of farmers,' he said.