Mysuru: The district has recorded 78 farmer suicide cases over the past 12 months, of which Periyapatna taluk reported the highest number, with 34 cases, where tobacco and ginger cultivation is among the dominant commercial crops.Despite various awareness initiatives undertaken by the govt, incidents of farmer suicides continue to be reported from different parts of the district, raising concerns about the effectiveness of intervention measures.Agriculture officials said the district recorded 77 farmer suicide cases in 2023-24 and 81 cases in 2024-25. “In the last three years, Mysuru district registered 236 farmer suicide cases, and compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been approved for 176 cases, while in 60 cases it was rejected,” officials said.Among the total 78 farmer suicide cases reported in 2025-26, the district-level committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner has approved compensation of Rs 5 lakh in 59 cases and rejected compensation in 14 cases. The district administration has distributed compensation in 40 of the 59 approved cases so far, officials said.Family members of the deceased farmers must submit the application within three months of death to a district-level committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner. The committee will study whether the application is fit for compensation, verify RTC, bank loan, police report and other records, and recommend the release of compensation to the deputy commissioner.Speaking to TOI, joint director of agriculture K Ravi said that apart from providing compensation, the govt also takes care of the education of victims’ children, grants widow pension and houses, and provides other help for such families as per the procedures.Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene state unit chief Badagalapura Nagendra urged the govt to release compensation on compassionate grounds in such cases, as most of the farmers took the extreme step over crop failure and other vagaries of nature. There are cases where mounting debt due to crop loss has led to suicide, he stated. Nagendra asked the govt to simplify the process of distribution of compensation.Periyapatna at the topAccording to agriculture department sources, among the 78 farmers who committed suicide in the district last year, the highest number of cases was reported from Periyapatna taluk (34), followed by Hunsur (15), KR Nagar (13), Saligrama (12), HD Kote (4), Mysuru taluk (1) and Saragur (1). However, T Narasipura and Nanjangud taluks have not reported such cases in 2025-26.
